04/18/23 1

PSAT with The Catcher in the Rye

PSAT with The Catcher in the Rye

SENTENCE COMPLETION

04/18/23 2

“(Angrily), he came in _______ about how cold it was out.”-

Holden

“(Angrily), he came in _______ about how cold it was out.”-

Holden

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“(Angrily), he came in _______ about how cold it was out.”-

Holden

“(Angrily), he came in _______ about how cold it was out.”-

Holden1. Read the sentence

2. Look for clues that will help you determine what kind of word should go in the blank

3. Fill in your own word that you think works

4. Decide if that word is positive (+) or negative (-)

1. Read the sentence

2. Look for clues that will help you determine what kind of word should go in the blank

3. Fill in your own word that you think works

4. Decide if that word is positive (+) or negative (-)

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Now look at the answer choices:Now look at the answer choices:

A. Boasting

B. Griping

C. Bragging

D. Shivering

A. Boasting

B. Griping

C. Bragging

D. Shivering

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Decide if each choice is positive or negative (mark the words with

the given symbols)

Decide if each choice is positive or negative (mark the words with

the given symbols)A. Boasting

B. Griping

C. Bragging

D. Shivering

A. Boasting

B. Griping

C. Bragging

D. Shivering

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Now, eliminate the choices that do not line up with the word you

wrote

Now, eliminate the choices that do not line up with the word you

wrote

(if the word you wrote is positive, eliminate the negatives, and vice-

versa)

(if the word you wrote is positive, eliminate the negatives, and vice-

versa)

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Next, choose which word you think fits best in the sentence from the answer choices that you have

not eliminated.

That will be your answer…

Next, choose which word you think fits best in the sentence from the answer choices that you have

not eliminated.

That will be your answer…

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Now, let’s go through the steps together…

Now, let’s go through the steps together…

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I read the sentence:

“(Angrily), he came in _______ about how cold it

was out.”

I read the sentence:

“(Angrily), he came in _______ about how cold it

was out.”

I decided that ANGRILY was a clue that meant that “he” was not happyI decided that ANGRILY was a clue that meant that “he” was not happy

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The word I wrote was: complaining

The word I wrote was: complaining

I decided that complaining is a negative (-) word.

(I chose a negative word because I realized that “he” is not happy from the sentence’s clues)

I decided that complaining is a negative (-) word.

(I chose a negative word because I realized that “he” is not happy from the sentence’s clues)

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Then, I looked at the answer choices and marked them positive (+) or negative (-)

Then, I looked at the answer choices and marked them positive (+) or negative (-)

A. Boasting +

B. Griping -

C. Bragging +

D. Shivering -

A. Boasting +

B. Griping -

C. Bragging +

D. Shivering -

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Since my word (complaining) is negative, I was able to cross off

the two positive answer choices…

Since my word (complaining) is negative, I was able to cross off

the two positive answer choices…

A. Boasting +

B. Griping -

C. Bragging +

D. Shivering -

A. Boasting +

B. Griping -

C. Bragging +

D. Shivering -

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Now, I’m left to choose between:Now, I’m left to choose between:

B. Griping (-)

D. Shivering (-)

B. Griping (-)

D. Shivering (-)

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Which makes more sense when inserted back into the sentence?Which makes more sense when inserted back into the sentence?

B. “(Angrily), He came in GRIPING about how cold it was out.”

OR

D. “(Angrily), He came in SHIVERING about how cold it was out.”

B. “(Angrily), He came in GRIPING about how cold it was out.”

OR

D. “(Angrily), He came in SHIVERING about how cold it was out.”

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Though I may not be sure of what “GRIPING” means, I know

that one is not usually “SHIVERING” about

something…

Though I may not be sure of what “GRIPING” means, I know

that one is not usually “SHIVERING” about

something… So, I choose:

B. Griping (-)

So, I choose:

B. Griping (-)

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Now for sentences with TWO “blanks”, here is what we should

do…

Now for sentences with TWO “blanks”, here is what we should

do…

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Read through the sentence:Read through the sentence:

“I’m the most _______ liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store… and somebody

asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera. It’s _____

_.”- Holden

“I’m the most _______ liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store… and somebody

asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera. It’s _____

_.”- Holden

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Next, concentrate on ONLY the first blank…

Next, concentrate on ONLY the first blank…

Use the clues within the sentence…

- “most” comes right before the first blank

Use the clues within the sentence…

- “most” comes right before the first blank

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What kind of word would you put in there?

What kind of word would you put in there?

-Fill in the FIRST BLANK with your own word

-Mark your word as positive or negative

-Fill in the FIRST BLANK with your own word

-Mark your word as positive or negative

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Now look at the answer choicesNow look at the answer choices

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

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Concentrate only on the FIRST word in the answers…

Concentrate only on the FIRST word in the answers…

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

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Mark each of the FIRST words as positive (+) or negative (-)

Mark each of the FIRST words as positive (+) or negative (-)

A. Best ( )… wonderful

B. Fabulous ( )… great

C. Terrific ( )… terrible

D. Horrible ( )… horrendous

A. Best ( )… wonderful

B. Fabulous ( )… great

C. Terrific ( )… terrible

D. Horrible ( )… horrendous

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Now read the sentence again, concentrate on the SECOND

BLANK this time

Now read the sentence again, concentrate on the SECOND

BLANK this time

“I’m the most _______ liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my

way to the store… and somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say

I’m going to the opera. It’s ______.

“I’m the most _______ liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my

way to the store… and somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say

I’m going to the opera. It’s ______.

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Use the clues within the sentence to determine what kind of word

you should write…

Use the clues within the sentence to determine what kind of word

you should write…

-Fill in the SECOND BLANK with your own word

-Mark your word as positive or negative

-Fill in the SECOND BLANK with your own word

-Mark your word as positive or negative

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Now look at the answer choicesNow look at the answer choices

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

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Now concentrate only on the SECOND word in the answer

choices

Now concentrate only on the SECOND word in the answer

choices

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

A. best… wonderful

B. fabulous… great

C. terrific… terrible

D. horrible… horrendous

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Mark each of the second words as positive (+) or negative (-)

Mark each of the second words as positive (+) or negative (-)

A. best… wonderful ( )

B. fabulous… great ( )

C. terrific… terrible ( )

D. horrible… horrendous ( )

A. best… wonderful ( )

B. fabulous… great ( )

C. terrific… terrible ( )

D. horrible… horrendous ( )

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Now, match up your words (and their symbols) with the answer

choices…

Now, match up your words (and their symbols) with the answer

choices…

Eliminate any of the answer choices that do not match yours

Eliminate any of the answer choices that do not match yours

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The two words I chose to write were

The two words I chose to write were

Fabulous (+)

And

Horrible (-)

Fabulous (+)

And

Horrible (-)

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I evaluated my answer choices as follows…

I evaluated my answer choices as follows…

A. Best (+) … wonderful (+)

B. Fabulous (+)… great (+)

C. Terrific (+)… terrible (-)

D. Horrible (-)… horrendous (-)

A. Best (+) … wonderful (+)

B. Fabulous (+)… great (+)

C. Terrific (+)… terrible (-)

D. Horrible (-)… horrendous (-)

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I then compared it to the words I wrote and their symbols and

eliminated the answer choices that did not match…

I then compared it to the words I wrote and their symbols and

eliminated the answer choices that did not match…

A. Best (+) … wonderful (+)

B. Fabulous (+)… great (+)

C. Terrific (+)… terrible (-)

D. Horrible (-)… horrendous (-)

A. Best (+) … wonderful (+)

B. Fabulous (+)… great (+)

C. Terrific (+)… terrible (-)

D. Horrible (-)… horrendous (-)

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The ONLY choice left is:The ONLY choice left is:

C. Terrific (+)… terrible (-)

So, that is my answer.

C. Terrific (+)… terrible (-)

So, that is my answer.