The December 2025 SAT contained several challenging questions. The most disputed vocabulary in context question asked students to read a passage about oil shocks and then decide if the abrupt rise in prices had a DETRIMENTAL or NOMINAL economic impact.
It is easy to see why the question perplexed so many students. DETRIMENTAL or harmful is a very tempting answer. Afterall, a sudden increase in oil prices would logically have a DETRIMENTAL impact on a nation’s economy.
However, a close reading of the question reveals that NOMINAL or very small is actually the best answer: Here’s why: The passage begins with an opening concession that “oil shocks can strongly affect individual consumers.” After citing research by a noted economist, the passage then makes a key counterclaim asserting that the effects of oil shocks on the German economy was “merely _______.”
Merely is the key word. It means very small or just barely. Note that is illogical to place merely in front of the strong negative word DETRIMENTAL. But it is possible for an oil shock to be merely NOMINAL or have a small impact. In fact, the passage concludes by stating that the change in Germany’s gross national product “was only slightly greater than zero.” This clearly supports NOMINAL as the most logical and precise answer.
NOMINAL - in name only; having a small impact
DETRIMENTAL - causing harm or damage