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ACT English 2.9 Passage Drill 188 Views


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ACT English: Passage Drill 2, Problem 9. Which word fits best in the sentence?

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by insecure cats. You know one by how many

00:08

times they ask if they look fat in their new collar.

00:32

How would you correct the following underlined portion from the passage? Does it need correcting?

00:49

To figure out whether "secured" is the best word, we have to consider the context

00:52

in which it appears. The writer is trying to say that the best thing to do if we want

00:56

to give a successful kitty-bath is to make the cat feel safe. In the next sentence, the

01:00

writer talks about how he or she used nice stuff like coconut shampoo to make the bath

01:05

as relaxing as possible. (Who knew cats like coconut shampoo? Yay, for learning.)

01:10

Anyway, it's looking like we can nix choice (A). The word "secured" doesn't fit

01:15

because it doesn't have the correct meaning. When something is "secured" that means

01:19

it's been fixed or attached so that it can't move or be lost. The writer isn't gluing

01:24

the cat to the rubber mat; therefore, this doesn't work.

01:26

What the ACT is trying to do here is trick us into thinking we're looking at the word

01:30

"secure," which can be used to describe someone who feels safe and happy. We're

01:34

not falling for it, though. The "ed" ending changes the meaning, so we"re giving (A) the boot.

01:40

Choices (B) and (C) take us down the same road as (A). Both "stationary" and "immobile"

01:45

could work as synonyms for "secured." If the writer wanted these things for the

01:48

cat, however, he or she would put it in a straightjacket or something. We imagine that

01:53

would do the opposite of making the cat feel safe and secure--especially as its being submerged in water.

01:58

Of course, we bet Houdini's cat did this kinda stuff all the time.

02:06

Choice (D) is the correct answer. The word "comfortable" gets across the safe and

02:10

secure feeling that the writer is trying to engender in the cat.

02:13

Next time, maybe the writer and cat should give transcendental meditation a shot.

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