SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
Unlike her predecessors, who filled their histories with sweeping claims about national character, historian Margaret Ellison was notably ______ in her conclusions, rarely asserting more than her archival evidence could directly support.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
grandiose
arbitrary
strident
circumspect
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
Ellison is contrasted with historians who made "sweeping claims," and she rarely claimed more than her evidence allowed. "Circumspect" means cautious and careful, which fits.
Choice A, "grandiose," describes the predecessors' sweeping claims, the opposite of Ellison's approach.
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