In their version of the classic song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell vow that there are no mountains high enough or rivers wide enough to keep them apart. They pledge to SURMOUNT or overcome any barriers so that their true love will prevail.
Don’t expect this example to appear on an SAT vocabulary in context question. As we have repeatedly seen, SAT test writers are not interested in the romantic lyrics of popular songs. But, they are very interested in how advances in bioacoustic technologies are enabling scientists to SURMOUNT the difficulties of studying wildlife in inaccessible swamps.
I’m very happy to learn that scientific advances are helping wildlife researchers SURMOUNT the problems of studying animals in remote environments. But, as a romantic at heart, I’m betting that Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell will SURMOUNT all the barriers that are keeping their true love apart.
SURMOUNT – to overcome obstacles and barriers