While early twentieth-century musicologists often dismissed late Romantic symphonies as me… — GRE General Test

While early twentieth-century musicologists often dismissed late Romantic symphonies as mere structural excess, contemporary theorists contend that this apparent grandiosity was not unthinking extravagance, but a deliberately _______ design intended to challenge traditional formal architecture. Which two of the following options, when inserted into the blank, best complete the sentence and yield sentences that are most similar in meaning?

calculatedAnswer
B
bombastic
studiedAnswer
D
turgid
E
harmonious
F
polyphonic

Answer

The choices meaning deliberate and carefully planned ('calculated' and 'studied') correctly complete the sentence.

The sentence hinges on the contrast signal 'not... but...'. The blank must contrast 'unthinking extravagance' with intentional, planned composition. Both 'calculated' and 'studied' express that the grandiosity was produced through careful, deliberate intent, yielding two sentences identical in overall meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution

Analyze structural transition and contextual clues

The phrase 'not unthinking extravagance, but a deliberately _______ design' indicates a contrast between mindless, unplanned excess and conscious, intentional planning.

Identifying sentence polarity ensures selection of words matching the required tone of deliberate method rather than reckless inflation.

Evaluate potential synonym pairs against context

The words 'calculated' and 'studied' both denote deliberate, intentional effort, fitting the contrast accurately.

Sentence Equivalence requires both selected words to yield completed sentences with equivalent meaning.

Eliminate false synonym pairs and topically related distractors

The pair 'bombastic' / 'turgid' is eliminated because it reinforces 'extravagance' rather than contrasting with it. The words 'harmonious' and 'polyphonic' are eliminated as topically relevant music terms lacking synonymous partners.

Distracting options often share a topical domain or form valid synonym pairs that undermine the sentence logic.

Key Concept

Eliminating False Synonyms and Topically Related Distractors in GRE Sentence Equivalence

Estimated Time:1m 30s

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Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

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