SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
Rather than relying on advertising, the founders of the small publishing house cultivated a loyal readership by answering every letter they received and inviting readers to suggest forgotten books worth reprinting. Within a decade, the press had subscribers in every state.
As used in the text, what does the word "cultivated" most nearly mean?
planted
developed
educated
harvested
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The founders built up a loyal group of readers over time by answering letters and asking for suggestions. "Cultivated" here means developed.
Choice C plays on "cultivated" meaning cultured, but the word describes what the founders did to build a readership, not making readers more educated.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. "Planted" is the farming sense of "cultivated," but the founders were building relationships, not sowing seeds.
- C. "Cultivated" can describe a cultured person, but here it describes how the founders built a readership.
- D. "Harvested" means gathering something already grown, while the founders were building their readership over time.
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