Fill in the blank in the sentence below with the word that best completes the passage based on the structural contrast clues.
Answer:Paradoxically, despite the author's longstanding reputation for writing 【abstruse】 prose that alienated lay readers, her final manuscript was widely celebrated for its remarkable lucidity and broad accessibility.
Answer
abstruse (or semantically equivalent contrast terms such as recondite, esoteric, arcane, or opaque)
The sentence relies on dual contrast signals ('Paradoxically' and 'despite') to establish a reversal between the author's previous writing style and her final manuscript. Since the final manuscript is praised for its 'lucidity and broad accessibility,' the correct word for the blank must describe prose that is obscure or difficult to comprehend. The word 'abstruse' (or synonyms like 'recondite' or 'esoteric') fits both the contrast requirement and the contextual clue that her earlier work 'alienated lay readers.'
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identifying structural reversal signals (such as 'paradoxically' and 'despite') to determine semantic opposition in Text Completion questions.