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Question

Difficulty: MediumContrast and Reversal Clues

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

Answer:Far from being 【desolate】 during the mid-Cretaceous epoch, the polar regions—long assumed by early geologists to have been frozen wastes—actually supported temperate, biodiverse forest ecosystems.

Answer

The blank must be filled with 'desolate' (or a synonym such as 'barren' or 'inhospitable').
The reversal signal 'Far from being' dictates that the word in the blank must contrast directly with the subsequent clause describing 'temperate, biodiverse forest ecosystems.' Therefore, a word indicating a lack of life or extreme harshness—such as 'desolate', 'barren', or 'inhospitable'—is required.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the structural contrast signal
The opening phrase 'Far from being' serves as a reversal pivot.
This structural signal indicates that the state described in the blank is opposite to the actual reality presented later in the sentence.
2
Analyze the contextual clue following the pivot
The sentence states that the regions 'actually supported temperate, biodiverse forest ecosystems.'
This establishes that the actual condition was life-supporting, green, and lush.
3
Deduce the semantic requirement for the blank
The word in the blank must express the opposite of lush and biodiverse, such as 'desolate', 'barren', or 'inhospitable'.
Pairing 'Far from being' with a word meaning devoid of life correctly expresses the contrast with a thriving forest ecosystem.

Key Concept

Contrast and Reversal Clues
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Topics

Contrast and Reversal Clues

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