Question 87·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Craft and Structure
Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt established a relationship between the luminosity and period of Cepheid variables, transforming them into cosmic distance markers. Edwin Hubble later exploited this "standard candle" to gauge the size of the universe, but he was ______ in attributing sole credit to Leavitt, ignoring the astronomers whose subsequent calibrations made his own measurements possible.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words-in-Context questions, always start by fully understanding the sentence and identifying any contrast words (like “but”) and key phrases around the blank, then paraphrase what kind of word should go there (positive/negative, praising/critical, emotional/action-based). Next, test each answer by its core meaning against your paraphrase and eliminate any that don’t fit the tone or logic, even if they are “hard” or sound sophisticated. Only after matching meaning and tone should you pick the option that most precisely captures the idea expressed by the surrounding context.
Hints
Use the clause after the comma
Focus on the phrase after the blank: "in attributing sole credit to Leavitt, ignoring the astronomers whose subsequent calibrations made his own measurements possible." Ask yourself: is the author praising Hubble or criticizing him here?
Paraphrase the sentence
Try to restate the sentence in simple language: Hubble used Leavitt’s work, but he was ____ because he ignored people who helped make his work possible. What kind of fault is the author pointing out?
Match meanings, not just word difficulty
For each answer choice, think about what type of person it describes (impressive, neglectful, intense, or overly flattering). Which one best matches someone being criticized for overlooking other people’s contributions?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the situation and tone
Focus on the part of the sentence after the blank:
"in attributing sole credit to Leavitt, ignoring the astronomers whose subsequent calibrations made his own measurements possible."
This clearly criticizes Hubble. He did something wrong by giving Leavitt all the credit and ignoring others. So the missing word must be negative and describe a fault or failure on his part.
Paraphrase the blank using context
Rewrite the sentence in your own words without the fancy vocabulary:
Hubble later used this method to measure the size of the universe, but he was ____ because he gave all the credit to Leavitt and ignored the other astronomers who made his work possible.
A natural paraphrase for the blank would be something like "wrong," "at fault," or "failing in his responsibility" toward those other astronomers.
Test each choice against the paraphrase and context
Now compare each option to that meaning and the critical tone:
- redoubtable = formidable or impressive, inspiring fear or respect. This is usually a compliment about someone's strength or reputation, not a criticism for ignoring others.
- vehement = very forceful, intense, or passionate (often about speech or emotion). The sentence is not talking about how strongly Hubble felt; it’s about how he treated other astronomers.
- obsequious = excessively obedient or eager to please, fawning. That would describe someone who flatters others too much, but here the problem is not flattery; it’s ignoring people who deserved credit.
All three of these meanings clash with the idea that Hubble is being faulted for overlooking others.
Confirm the best-fitting word
The remaining option, “remiss,” means negligent or careless in doing something you are responsible for.
Plug it back in:
"...but he was remiss in attributing sole credit to Leavitt, ignoring the astronomers whose subsequent calibrations made his own measurements possible."
This fits perfectly: Hubble is being criticized for failing in his responsibility to recognize all the contributors. Therefore, the correct answer is B) remiss.