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Question

Difficulty: EasyIdentifying Synonym and Near-Synonym Pairs

Despite the curator's reputation for being exceptionally contentious, her interactions with the museum's patrons were surprisingly ________.

Which two of the following options, when inserted into the sentence, complete the sentence in ways that produce sentences with equivalent meaning?

  1. affableAnswer
  2. cordialAnswer
  3. C
    belligerent
  4. D
    pugnacious
  5. E
    fastidious
  6. F
    erudite

Answer

The two words that complete the sentence to produce sentences with equivalent meaning are affable and cordial.
The contrast transition 'Despite' along with the adverb 'surprisingly' indicates that the blank must express the opposite of 'contentious' (argumentative/quarrelsome). The words meaning friendly or warm—affable and cordial—form a synonym pair that correctly completes the sentence to yield equivalent meanings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and contextual clues.
The sentence begins with the concession pivot 'Despite', indicating a contrast between the curator's reputation for being 'contentious' (quarrelsome/argumentative) and the nature of her actual interactions with patrons, which were 'surprisingly' opposite in tone.
Identifying structural pivots is essential for establishing the required semantic valence of the blank.
2
Determine the required target meaning for the blank.
The missing word must mean friendly, polite, or agreeable.
An agreeable term directly contrasts with 'contentious'.
3
Evaluate the answer choices for synonym pairs matching the target meaning.
The words 'affable' and 'cordial' both mean friendly and warm, forming a valid synonym pair that fits the positive contrast required.
Both words complete the sentence with coherent, equivalent meanings.
4
Eliminate distractors.
'Belligerent' and 'pugnacious' form a synonym pair meaning aggressive, but they fail the contextual fit because they align with 'contentious' rather than contrasting with it. 'Fastidious' and 'erudite' are topically relevant words that lack synonym partners.
Distractor analysis ensures only true synonym pairs fitting the contextual valence are selected.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual contrast signals and selecting semantic synonym pairs in Sentence Equivalence questions.
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Topics

Identifying Synonym and Near-Synonym Pairs

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