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Difficulty: MediumInterpreting Contrast and Concession Structural Signals

In spite of the lead oceanographer's insistence that the deep-sea ecosystem was ________, subsequent robotic surveys uncovered a surprisingly vibrant array of benthic life. Which two of the following answer choices, when inserted into the blank, produce completed sentences that are logically equivalent and coherent in meaning?

  1. barrenAnswer
  2. B
    teeming
  3. desolateAnswer
  4. D
    abundant
  5. E
    fragile
  6. F
    pristine

Answer

The two correct choices are 'barren' and 'desolate'.
The structural signal 'In spite of' establishes a concessionary contrast between the oceanographer's expectation and the empirical findings. Since the robotic surveys revealed a 'vibrant array of benthic life', the oceanographer must have insisted that the ecosystem was devoid of life. Both 'barren' and 'desolate' mean lacking life or vegetation, completing the sentence with logically equivalent meanings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the structural signal and sentence pivot
The phrase 'In spite of' acts as a concession signal indicating that the oceanographer's claim contrasts with the actual findings.
Concession signals require the blank to express the opposite valence of the main clause.
2
Analyze the main clause clue and determine target meaning for the blank
The main clause notes that surveys uncovered a 'surprisingly vibrant array of benthic life'. Therefore, the oceanographer must have claimed the area was lacking in life.
The blank requires words meaning 'lifeless', 'empty', or 'devoid of organisms'.
3
Evaluate option pairs for semantic equivalence and contextual fit
'Barren' and 'desolate' both mean empty or devoid of life, forming a pair of synonyms that yield logically equivalent completed sentences.
Both words satisfy the required negative polarity and produce identical sentence meanings.

Key Concept

Interpreting Contrast and Concession Structural Signals
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Topics

Interpreting Contrast and Concession Structural Signals

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