Explanation
Meaning in context questions on the SAT reading section assess your ability to determine the meaning of specific words, phrases, or sentences based on the context in which they appear. These questions require you to consider the surrounding information and make inferences to accurately comprehend the intended meaning.
Here are some example question lead-ins for “meaning in context” questions:
- “As used in line X, the word ‘_ ‘ most nearly means…”
- “In the context of the passage, the phrase ‘_ ‘ refers to…”
- “The author uses the term ‘_ ‘ to suggest…”
- “What does the word ‘_ ‘ in paragraph X primarily signify?”
- “Based on the passage, the word ‘_ ‘ can be interpreted as…”
These question lead-ins indicate that you’ll need to analyze the specific word, phrase, or sentence and understand how its meaning relates to the surrounding text in order to select the most appropriate answer choice.