Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardAnalyzing Contextual Tone and Valence Clues

Far from presenting a purely objective summary of the technological paradigm shift, the historian���s early monographs were characterized by a surprisingly ________ tone, betraying a deep-seated apprehension about the automated future. Which TWO of the following options, when inserted into the sentence, produce completed sentences that are logically coherent and equivalent in meaning?

  1. alarmistAnswer
  2. forebodingAnswer
  3. C
    sanguine
  4. D
    dispassionate
  5. E
    scholarly
  6. F
    judicious

Answer

The correct options are 'alarmist' and 'foreboding'. Both words accurately reflect a tone of fearful apprehension and contrast with a purely objective account.
The sentence relies on a contrast signaled by 'Far from presenting a purely objective summary', indicating that the monographs were not objective. The descriptive clause 'betraying a deep-seated apprehension' establishes a tone marked by fear and concern regarding the future. Both 'alarmist' and 'foreboding' mean expressing or filled with fear of impending danger or trouble, perfectly matching this contextual clue and creating equivalent sentences.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze structural contrast and pivot signals in the stem.
The opening transition 'Far from presenting...' establishes a contrast between what the monographs were expected to be ('purely objective') and what they actually were.
Identifying pivot phrases is crucial to determine whether the missing tone reinforces or opposes the initial descriptors.
2
Extract contextual valence clues from the remaining clause.
The phrase 'betraying a deep-seated apprehension about the automated future' provides a clear negative emotional valence centered on fear, warning, and worry.
The target word must align in tone with 'apprehension' while contrasting with 'objective'.
3
Evaluate option pairs for semantic equivalence and contextual fit.
'Alarmist' (warning of danger in an exaggerated or urgent way) and 'foreboding' (implying a fearful feeling of impending misfortune) both complete the blank with equivalent, logically coherent meanings.
Sentence Equivalence requires two choices that yield sentences with identical essential meaning.

Key Concept

Analyzing Contextual Tone and Valence Clues
Rate this question

Topics

Analyzing Contextual Tone and Valence Clues

More questions from this topic