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Difficulty: MediumEliminating False Synonyms and Topically Related Distractors

Although the minimalist sculptor claimed her stark geometric installations were entirely devoid of narrative intent, recent archival discoveries reveal that her choices were surprisingly __________, deeply rooted in the political turmoil of her era. Which of the following options, when inserted into the blank, produce completed sentences that are equivalent in meaning? Select two choices.

  1. tendentiousAnswer
  2. B
    austere
  3. C
    subversive
  4. partisanAnswer
  5. E
    spartan
  6. F
    aesthetic

Answer

The correct options are 'tendentious' and 'partisan'.
The sentence uses the contrast signal 'Although' to set up an opposition between the sculptor's claim of having no narrative intent and the archival finding that her work was tied to political turmoil. The terms 'tendentious' (promoting a specific political cause or bias) and 'partisan' (supporting a political faction) both fill the blank appropriately and produce completed sentences with identical meanings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze sentence syntax and structural signals
The opening concession clause ('Although...') indicates a contrast between the sculptor's public claim (that her work lacked narrative intent) and what archival discoveries actually revealed.
Identifying contrast signals establishes the required semantic polarity for the blank.
2
Determine the required contextual meaning for the blank
The clue 'deeply rooted in the political turmoil of her era' requires a word denoting political bias, ideological intent, or factional alignment.
The word filling the blank must oppose being 'devoid of narrative intent' and specifically describe a political orientation.
3
Evaluate candidate option pairs for synonymy and fit
'Tendentious' and 'partisan' both describe political bias or factional commitment, fitting the context and creating equivalent sentence meanings. 'Austere' and 'spartan' form a valid synonym pair but fail to fit the contrast required by the sentence logic.
Sentence equivalence requires selecting two choices that are both contextual synonyms and logically consistent with the sentence structure.

Key Concept

Eliminating false synonym traps and unpaired topical distractors in Sentence Equivalence
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Topics

Eliminating False Synonyms and Topically Related Distractors

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