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Question

Difficulty: MediumContrast and Reversal Clues

Read the passage below and select the word that logically completes the sentence.

Paradoxically, while early musicologists dismissed the traditional singers' performances as ________, recent acoustic re-examinations reveal that the musicians adhered to an astonishing degree of structural discipline and rhythmic precision.

Which of the following words best completes the blank?

  1. A
    fastidious
  2. desultoryAnswer
  3. C
    exemplary
  4. D
    pellucid
  5. E
    immutable

Answer

desultory
The sentence relies on the contrast signal 'Paradoxically, while' to set up an opposition between the early dismissal of the performances and the recent finding that they possessed 'structural discipline and rhythmic precision.' The word completing the blank must describe a lack of order, planning, or discipline. 'Desultory' precisely fits this definition, meaning lacking a definite plan, purpose, or regularity.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and identify key transition structural clues.
The pivot phrase 'Paradoxically, while' signals a contrast between how early musicologists dismissed the performances and what recent re-examinations actually demonstrated.
Reversal clues dictate that the target word must express a quality opposite in valence to the description in the main clause.
2
Determine the required semantic tone and meaning for the blank.
The main clause states that the musicians maintained 'structural discipline and rhythmic precision' (highly organized and deliberate). Therefore, the blank describing the early dismissal must mean disorganized, planless, or erratic.
The word must satisfy the negative framing of early dismissal while contrasting directly with organized discipline.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the word matching 'lacking plan or discipline'.
'Desultory' specifically means lacking a definite plan, enthusiasm, or purpose (haphazard). This perfectly contrasts with 'structural discipline'.
Selecting 'desultory' satisfies both the negative sentiment of the dismissal and the direct semantic reversal dictated by the structural pivot.

Key Concept

Identifying Contrast and Reversal Structural Signals
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Contrast and Reversal Clues

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