SAT Reading & Writing · Words in Context
The two studies appear to disagree, but the conflict is partly ______ once their sampling methods are considered: one study examined…
The two studies appear to disagree, but the conflict is partly ______ once their sampling methods are considered: one study examined first-time users, whereas the other included only experienced users.
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: A: attenuated
Accounting for the different samples, first-time users versus experienced users, reduces how contradictory the two studies appear, which is exactly what "attenuated" names: lessened in force. "Amplified" would mean the conflict grew stronger, the opposite of what considering sampling differences accomplishes. "Fabricated" would mean invented, not lessened. "Predicted" concerns anticipating an outcome in advance, unrelated to resolving an apparent conflict after the fact.
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