SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
Ecologist Sunita Rao cautions against reading too much into the recovery of the river's salmon. Although the number of returning fish has doubled since the dam was removed, she notes that numbers rose nearly as much in two nearby rivers that still have dams, making it ______ to credit the dam's removal alone for the increase.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
premature
reasonable
essential
customary
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
Rao points out that salmon numbers rose almost as much in rivers that kept their dams. So it is too early, without more evidence, to give the dam's removal all the credit. "Premature" fits.
Choice B reverses Rao's point. The comparison with dammed rivers is exactly why crediting the removal alone would not be reasonable.
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. Similar gains in rivers that still have dams are why crediting the removal alone would not be reasonable.
- C. Rao is warning against this conclusion, so calling it essential reverses her view.
- D. The text isn't about what is usual or traditional. It is about whether the evidence supports the claim.
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, or take a free full-length practice test.