SAT OwlQuestion bank / Words in Context
Economists studying the town's housing market noted that homes near the new rail station began to appreciate within months of its opening, while homes farther away kept roughly the same prices for several years.
As used in the text, what does the word "appreciate" most nearly mean?
be grateful
be understood
rise in value
be admired
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
The sentence contrasts homes near the station with homes farther away that "kept roughly the same prices." So the homes near the station went up in price. "Appreciate" here means rise in value.
Choice A is the everyday meaning of "appreciate," but homes can't feel grateful, and the contrast with steady prices points to value.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. This is the everyday meaning, but homes can't feel grateful. The contrast with steady prices points to value.
- B. "Understood" fits "appreciate a problem," but the sentence contrasts rising and steady prices.
- D. Being admired is about people's opinions, while the sentence compares home prices.
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