The archaeologist's motivation for excavating the ancient site was to uncover evidence of early trade routes between distant civilizations.
考古学家发掘古代遗址的动机是为了发现早期文明之间遥远贸易路线的证据。
Theater historian Boris Kaminski, who has studied similar modern-dress productions elsewhere, cautions that updating a play's setting can sometimes obscure historical context that is essential to understanding certain plot points and character motivations.
From a Cross-Text Connections question · Craft and Structure
Novelist Esperanza Duval writes that a compelling villain must have understandable motivations that make their actions feel logical from their own perspective.
From a Cross-Text Connections question · Craft and Structure
Novelist Julian Ferreira argues that giving villains fully understandable motivations can sometimes soften readers' judgment of genuinely harmful actions in ways that undermine a story's moral clarity.
From a Cross-Text Connections question · Craft and Structure
Which choice best defines “motivation”?
A — The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. “motivation” means the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.
Which word means “the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way”?
D — motivation. “motivation” means the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.
motivation — the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. In Chinese: 动机，动力.
motivation is pronounced /ˌmoʊtɪˈveɪʃən/.
The archaeologist's motivation for excavating the ancient site was to uncover evidence of early trade routes between distant civilizations. (考古学家发掘古代遗址的动机是为了发现早期文明之间遥远贸易路线的证据。)
incentive, drive, impetus — all close in meaning to motivation (the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way).
discouragement, deterrent — each the opposite of motivation (the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way).
Yes. motivation is on the SAT Prep Basic list — the everyday academic words the SAT assumes you already have. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.