Lesson: Sentence Completion - 03

Sentence Completion 5-Level plan Application

Sentence Completion questios can be of two style:

Single blank Question

This type of Sentence Completion contains one blank. Let’s apply the 5 Level Plan approach to this one.

Example

Solved Example

Explaination

Level 1: The sentence as a whole seems to suggest that sleep is a dynamic process involving a series of different stages defined by degree of detachment. Notice that the purpose of the second clause is to describe what sleep is. This observation is key to reaching the correct answer.
Level 2: If you were filling in the blank yourself (without the aid of answer choices), what word would you use? The missing word refers to “sleep,” so perhaps a word such as state or condition might occur to you as a good completion.
Notice that this completion is indeed among the answer choices. Does this mean we can confidently select choice (E) and move on to the next question without another thought? Not necessarily. Another choice might be better than choice (E).
Level 3: This Sentence Completion contains only one blank, so go to Level 4.



Level 4: Let’s eliminate answer choices that are obviously wrong. The correct answer has to make sense as a characterization of sleep. Choices (B) and (C) make no sense as characterizations of sleep, so eliminate them. Notice also that “rhythm” is mentioned as a feature or trait of the missing word, so the correct answer must make sense in this way as well. To describe a “realm” as having a rhythm makes no sense, so eliminate choice (A).
Level 5: We’ve narrowed the choices down to (D) and (E). Read the sentence with each word in turn. Which word is more appropriate and effective in conveying the thrust of the sentence (that sleep is a dynamic process involving a series of different stages)? The word progression clearly drives home this notion more pointedly and effectively than the word condition. The correct answer is (D).

Dual blank Question

This type of Sentence Completion contains two blank. Let’s apply the 5 Level Plan approach to this one.

Example

Solved Example

Explaination

Level 1: In reading this sentence, you should have noticed that it changes direction midway through. This change is signaled by the key word “yet,” which provides a clue that the second part of the sentence sets up a contrast or contradiction to the first part. You can bet that this structural clue will be crucial to determining the best answer.
Level 2: Let’s read the sentence again, filling in the first blank with our own word (ignoring the answer choices for now). The words “not only . . . but also” are important clues that the first blank must complement the phrase “served as proxies.” (Proxy means “substitute.”) A negatively charged word or phrase such as harmed, ignored, or disagreed with would make no sense in the first blank, would it? But a word such as served, represented, or aided would fit nicely.
Level 3: Now let’s fill in the second blank with our own word, one that makes sense together with the first word. During Level 1, we determined that the meaning of second clause should reflect a contrast with that of the first one. So a word such as ignore, de-emphasize, or trivialize would make sense here. Here’s a good paraphrase that gives you a sense of the idea that the sentence is probably trying to convey: In doing their jobs, these members of Congress have helped (aided) all African Americans, yet some biographies don’t reflect (they ignore) the efforts of these members.
Level 4: Let’s take a first pass at each answer choice. Because this question includes two blanks, don’t try to shortcut the process by scanning for key words that might signal obvious winners and losers. Dual-blank Sentence Completions are not designed to be solved that easily. Let’s consider each answer choice in turn.
The word served fits nicely, but describe fails to establish the necessary contrast between the two parts of the sentence. Eliminate choice (A). The word abandoned doesn’t fit, because it doesn’t complement “served as proxies.”
You can eliminate choice (B) even without considering the second word (affirm). The word promoted and criticize each seem to make sense in context, and together they set up a sense of contrast between the two clauses. So choice (C) is in the running.
The word represented fits nicely. If you don’t know what belie means, perhaps you can guess based on its root lie (falsehood), which provides the sort of contrast between the two clauses we’re looking for. So choice (D) is in the running. (We’ll define belie in Level 4.) The word influenced establishes a different meaning for the first clause than the one we’ve been inferring. But influenced does make some sense in the first clause. Discredit makes sense as well and sets of the necessary contrast between the two clauses. So choice (E) is in the running.



Level 5: We’ve narrowed down our choices to (C), (D), and (E). Now read the sentence again with each of these three pairs, in turn.
Choice (C): This answer choice suffers from two subtle defects. First, it is the goals or interests of a constituency, not the constituency itself, that an elected representative promotes. So promoted sets up an improper idiomatic expression. Second, for the word criticize to establish a clear contrast, the first clause should at least suggest the opposing notion of approval; but it doesn’t. So even though the “flavor” of criticize is in the right direction, it is not a perfect fit in the context of the sentence as a whole.
Choice (D): To belie is to misrepresent or contradict. For example, a smile belies sadness. Similarly, a biography can belie the struggle described in the sentence— perhaps by mischaracterizing it as an easier effort than it has in fact been. So choice (D) appears to be a good answer choice.
Choice (E): Like choice (C), this answer choice suffers from two subtle defects. First, this version of the sentence inappropriately discredits a struggle; but it makes better sense to discredit the strugglers. (You can eliminate this answer choice based on this defect alone.) Second, although the word influence makes sense in context, it doesn’t establish the close parallel in ideas that the correlative phrases “not only . . . but also” call for. Choice (D) is better in this respect. The correct answer is (D).
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