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Difficulty: Very hardAnalyzing Contextual Tone and Valence Clues

Although the curator initially dismissed the regional folk art exhibition as merely derivative, her subsequent monograph revealed a surprisingly ________ perspective, meticulously documenting how local artisans inverted traditional iconography to express covert political dissent. Which of the following words best completes the blank in accordance with the contextual tone and valence clues of the sentence?

  1. laudatoryAnswer
  2. B
    dismissive
  3. C
    hagiographic
  4. D
    derivative
  5. E
    pedantic

Answer

The correct answer is 'laudatory', as it accurately reflects a positive and praising shift in perspective that contrasts with the curator's initial dismissive attitude.
The word 'laudatory' means expressing praise or admiration. The sentence structure begins with a concessionary contrast ('Although the curator initially dismissed...'), indicating that her later monograph expressed the opposite sentiment. The subsequent description of her work—highlighting how artisans cleverly embedded political dissent in their art—demonstrates a admiring, complimentary stance. Thus, 'laudatory' provides the precise positive tone required by the contextual clues.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze structural signals and contrast pivots in the stem
Identified 'Although' as a concession/contrast signal and 'surprisingly' as a marker indicating a valence reversal from the initial clause.
The initial evaluation was negative ('dismissed... as merely derivative'), so the blank must express a contrasting, positive valence.
2
Examine the elaboration clause for tone clues
The phrase 'meticulously documenting how local artisans inverted traditional iconography to express covert political dissent' reveals high academic regard and praise for the sophistication of the art.
The blank needs a word denoting praise or complimentary appraisal that fits a scholarly context.
3
Evaluate option choices against contextual requirements
'Laudatory' (meaning expressing praise) perfectly matches the required positive, scholarly tone. Extreme choices like 'hagiographic' or negative/unchanged choices like 'dismissive', 'derivative', and 'pedantic' are eliminated.
Only 'laudatory' captures the appropriate degree of positive appraisal without hyperbole or negative connotation.

Key Concept

Analyzing Contextual Tone and Valence Clues
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Topics

Analyzing Contextual Tone and Valence Clues

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