<p>Because of their spare, white appearance, ancient Greek statues in modern museums are often considered __________<strong><em>; yet newly unearthed antiquities showing traces of bright pigment are not so _</em></strong>_________.</p>
<p>(A)plain...ornate
(B)elaborate...spartan
(C)ostentatious...vivid
(D)austere..unadorned
(E)commonplace...unattainable </p>
<p>What does spare mean in this context?
And whats the answer? Thanks in advance CC!</p>
<p>D is the answer…spare is lacking something, specifically vivid colors here.</p>
<p>Yes D is the answer, and spare in this instance means not having something. Austere means plain and simple, and unadorned is without decoration.</p>
<p>Not only that, but you’re also looking for two words that have similar meanings or connotations, which knocks out A, B, and D at the outset. Then, since the statues are white as opposed to brightly colored, you can infer that they are not “ostentatious” or “vivid.” That leaves you with D.</p>