SAT Reading & Writing · Words in Context
The new measurements did not overturn the earlier estimate, but they substantially ______ the range of values researchers considered…
The new measurements did not overturn the earlier estimate, but they substantially ______ the range of values researchers considered plausible, ruling out several possibilities that had previously remained open.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Answer and explanation
Answer: D: circumscribed
"Circumscribed" means restricted or narrowed, which matches the passage's description of ruling out possibilities and narrowing the plausible range without full rejection. "Expanded" would mean the range grew, the opposite of ruling out possibilities. "Obscured" would mean the picture became less clear, but the passage describes new clarity about what's ruled out. "Replicated" would mean the earlier estimate was simply repeated, not narrowed by new data.
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