SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
The bristlecone pines of the White Mountains in California grow extremely slowly, adding only a thin layer of wood each year. Their ______ is remarkable: some living bristlecones are more than 4,000 years old.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
height
color
longevity
fragility
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
The sentence after the colon says some trees are over 4,000 years old. The blank must refer to their long lives, and "longevity" means long life.
Choice D, "fragility," might seem to match slow growth, but it does not connect to the evidence about the trees' great age.
Got it wrong? On SAT Owl, Owl looks at the answer you chose and explains the exact mistake, then gives you similar questions until it sticks. Get your predicted SAT score free.