SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
The following text is from a 1905 novel by Theodora Quill.
Mr. Lamb was not a man to make a scene. When the waiter brought him the wrong dish for the second time, he merely regarded it for a moment, then took up his fork with an air of quiet resignation, as one who has learned that the world will not be ______ by complaint.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
damaged
noticed
improved
overwhelmed
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
Mr. Lamb accepts the wrong dish with "quiet resignation" instead of complaining. He has learned that complaining does not make things better, so "improved" completes the idea.
Choice B, "noticed," does not fit the logic; Mr. Lamb's resignation reflects a belief that complaining changes nothing, not that it goes unseen.
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