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Question

Difficulty: MediumContrast and Reversal Clues

Complete the passage below by determining the word that satisfies the structural contrast. What word best fills the blank?

Answer:Far from being 【derivative】, the composer's late symphonies are strikingly innovative, departing radically from the conventional harmonic structures of his earlier work.

Answer

The word 'derivative' (or a synonym such as 'formulaic' or 'conventional') correctly completes the blank.
The introductory structural signal 'Far from being' establishes a reversal relationship. Since the late symphonies are described as 'strikingly innovative', the word in the blank must express the opposite trait—namely, being unoriginal or derivative.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the contrast signal in the sentence.
The phrase 'Far from being' establishes a structural contrast between the blank and the clause that follows.
Contrast pivots signal that the word in the blank must be semantically opposite to the key descriptive clue in the rest of the sentence.
2
Analyze the context clue in the non-blank portion of the sentence.
The composer's late symphonies are described as 'strikingly innovative' and departing from conventional structures.
This establishes that the works possess high originality and novelty.
3
Deduce the required meaning for the blank.
The blank must mean unoriginal or traditional, so words like 'derivative', 'formulaic', or 'conventional' fit precisely.
Reversing 'strikingly innovative' leads directly to terms indicating a lack of originality.

Key Concept

Contrast and Reversal Clues
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Topics

Contrast and Reversal Clues

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