Difficult Sentence Completion Question

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1

<p>The architects of New York's early skyscrapers, hinting here at twelfth-century cathedral, there at a fifteenth-century palace, sought to legitimize the city's striving by ___ a history the city did not truly__.</p>

<p>A. revealing...deserve
B. displaying.. desire
C. evoking...possess
D. preserving.. experience
E. flouting.. believe.</p>

<p>Correct answer is C. I cannot understand the entire sentence at all and therefore couldn't do the question. Any idea what the sentence mean and why C is correct?</p>

<p>Despite an agreement between labor and management to keep the print and electronic media___ developments, the details of the negotiations were ___ but a few journalists from the major metropolitan newspapers.</p>

<p>A. abreast of... disclosed to
B. involved in..leaded to
C. apprised of..withheld from
D. speculating about.. denied to
E. ignorant of..suppressed by.</p>

<p>Correct answer is C. I Chose A because i thought for the second blank,"disclosed to" makes more sense because of the "but a few journalists." "All disclosed to but a few journalist" means the negotiation's detail is only revealed to a few journalists?</p>

<p>An obvious style, easily identified by some superficial quirk, is properly___ as a mere mannerism, whereas a complex and subtle style ___ reduction to a formula.</p>

<p>A. avoided..risks.
B. decried...resists
C. prized...withstands
D. identified..consists of
E. cultivated..demands.</p>

<p>Correct answer is B, which I have completely no idea what this sentence is about.</p>

<p>Although a few delegates gave the opposition's suggestions a ___ response, most greeted the statement of a counter-position with __.</p>

<p>A. favourable..approval.
B. dispirited..reluctance.
C. surly..resentment.
D. halfhearted..composure
E. vitriolic..civility</p>

<p>Correct answer is E. I chose B and I thought my choice makes a greater sense, because of the fact that "Although" would establish a contrast between the 2 blanks, but there is also a contrast between "afew" and "most"..But B fits the best?</p>

<p>Some paleontologists debate whether the diversity of species has ___ since the Cambain period, or whether imperfections in the fossil record only suggest greater diversity today, while in actuality there has been either ___ or decreased diversity.</p>

<p>A. changed..escalation
B. increased..stasis.
C. expanded..discontinuity
D. declined..reduction
E. improved..derivation.</p>

<p>I chose A, but correct answer is B. Again, completely no idea on this question and need some serious explaination.</p>

<p>Imposing steep fines on employers for on-the-job injuries to workers could be an effective ___ to creating a safer workplace, especially in the case of employers with poor safety records.</p>

<p>A. antidote
B. alternative
C. addition
D. deterrent
E. incentive.</p>

<p>The answer is E incentive. I chose D. I mean, how can E be correct? Imposing steep fines can become an incentive? It doesn't make sense to me. Pls explain.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>The 1st one: You need to realize the time the sentence was written in. Based on the sentence, it was during the 15th century. The architects were hinting 500 years into the future with the palace they were building. So, they were “evoking” (bringing up) a history that they didn’t “possess.” The couldn’t possess something that hadn’t yet happened.</p>

3

<p>An obvious style, easily identified by some superficial quirk, is properly___ as a mere mannerism, whereas a complex and subtle style ___ reduction to a formula.</p>

<p>A. avoided…risks.
B. decried…resists
C. prized…withstands
D. identified…consists of
E. cultivated…demands.</p>

<p>This sentence is about writing style. An obvious style is kind of based on something that is taught to a writer, not something developed by the writer himself. So, an obvious style is “decried” (said to be) a mannerism (something that isn’t really created by the heart, rather learned). In contrast, a complex and subtle (and self-developed) style “resists” reduction to formula.</p>

4

<p>The architects of New York’s early skyscrapers, hinting here at twelfth-century cathedral, there at a fifteenth-century palace, sought to legitimize the city’s striving by ___ a history the city did not truly__.</p>

<p>The subject here is the architects. They’re designing NY’s buildings. Hinting here and there means they’re taking elements from the 12th and 15th centuries in their designs…skyscrapers are new, and NY is a much younger city than the 15th century, so they’re “evoking” or bringing forth a past in NY that didn’t actually “possess” or have.</p>

<p>Despite an agreement between labor and management to keep the print and electronic media___ developments, the details of the negotiations were ___ but a few journalists from the major metropolitan newspapers.</p>

<p>Your rationale for picking A completely ignores the first blank. If you read that choice into the sentence, you’re saying that even though labor and management agreed to keep the media “abreast of” or informed of developments, the details were only “disclosed to” or told to a few of them. That’s contradictory. The correct answer is “apprised of” which means pretty much the same thing as “abreast of”, but the second blank “withheld from” now makes the sentence work. So even though they promised to keep the press apprised, they’re actually doing the opposite and withholding information.</p>

<p>An obvious style, easily identified by some superficial quirk, is properly___ as a mere mannerism, whereas a complex and subtle style ___ reduction to a formula.</p>

<p>This one has tough vocab in the sentence itself. It’s referring to some sort of artistic style. The word “mere” lets you know the author doesn’t think much of the style, so that first blank is going to be something negative. Either A or B might work. But when you go to the second blank, “risks” doesn’t work because that’s saying that the complex style isn’t that great either. B is right choice because a complex style “resists” or avoids being simplified to a formula.</p>

<p>Although a few delegates gave the opposition’s suggestions a ___ response, most greeted the statement of a counter-position with __.</p>

<p>You’re right there’s a contrast, but your answer choice doesn’t have that contrast. Check your vocabulary. “Dispirited” means not enthusiastic and reluctant implies they didn’t like it. No contrast there. The only choice that has that contrast is E. “Vitriolic” and “civility” are definitely contrasting.</p>

<p>Some paleontologists debate whether the diversity of species has ___ since the Cambain period, or whether imperfections in the fossil record only suggest greater diversity today, while in actuality there has been either ___ or decreased diversity.</p>

<p>This is another contrast question. “Whether” tells you that. Since the second half of the sentence points to “decreased” you’ll probably want increased in the 1st blank, so B, C and E are good choices. “Changed” could go either way, so it’s not a likely choice. Now go to the second blank. A is definitely out now because “escalate” means increase. Neither “discontinuity” nor “derivation” make any sense here. That leaves you with B. “Stasis” means unchanged, which does fit, so the sentence says that diversity is either unchanged or decreased.</p>

<p>Imposing steep fines on employers for on-the-job injuries to workers could be an effective ___ to creating a safer workplace, especially in the case of employers with poor safety records.</p>

<p>The sentence is saying that steep fines will improve workplace safety. Logical, right? Your choice, “deterrent” makes no sense here. You would be saying that fines would stop employers from creating a safer workplace. “Incentive” is definitely correct. Again, go to the definition. An incentive is a motivator, so fines in this case would motivate employers to create a safe workplace.</p>

<p>Hope all this helps. I really encourage you to spend time on your vocabulary, since I get the feeling that your struggles are often the result of not knowing exactly what a word means, either in the answer choices, or in the sentence. You’ll find lots of suggestions here for vocabulary help. Direct Hits is a favorite. Personally, I send my students to word-nerd.com - I like the organization, and it’s got lots more words than DH. Whatever you do, though, study your vocab! Good luck.</p>