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Difficulty: MediumElaboration and Restatement Clues

Which word best completes the sentence based on the restatement clue provided?

Answer:The archivist's approach to cataloging the rare manuscripts was strictly 【empirical】—that is to say, she recorded only demonstrable codicological facts without offering speculative interpretations.

Answer

The word that best completes the sentence is 'empirical' (or synonymous terms such as 'descriptive' or 'factual').
The restatement marker '—that is to say,' signals that the second half of the sentence elaborates on the meaning of the missing word. Because the sentence specifies that the archivist recorded only 'demonstrable codicological facts' and avoided 'speculative interpretations,' the correct word must mean based on observation and verifiable data, which is precisely defined by 'empirical' (or 'descriptive' / 'factual').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the structural transition clue in the sentence.
The phrase '—that is to say,' serves as an elaboration marker that signals a restatement of the blank.
Restatement markers indicate that the clause following the dash clarifies or defines the word required in the blank.
2
Analyze the contextual elaboration.
The restatement explains that the archivist 'recorded only demonstrable codicological facts without offering speculative interpretations.'
This establishes that the target word must describe an approach based on observable evidence rather than conjecture.
3
Select a word that matches the concept of reliance on observable evidence.
'empirical' (or 'factual' / 'descriptive') accurately expresses an approach grounded in observation and demonstrable facts.
It fulfills both the semantic requirement of the context and the structural directive of the restatement marker.

Key Concept

Elaboration and Restatement Clues
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Topics

Elaboration and Restatement Clues

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