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Question

Difficulty: HardTone and Connotation Matching

Despite the cartographer's insistence that his treatise on transoceanic navigation was an impartial geographical survey, his choice of ________ descriptors when discussing competing mapmakers exposed a deeply partisan hostility. Which of the following words best completes the blank?

  1. pejorativeAnswer
  2. B
    dispassionate
  3. C
    meticulous
  4. D
    florid
  5. E
    rigorous

Answer

The correct option is 'pejorative', as it accurately reflects the negative, hostile connotation established by the surrounding context.
The correct answer is 'pejorative'. The sentence relies on the contrast signal 'Despite', which sets up an opposition between the cartographer's claimed impartiality and his actual writing. The phrase 'deeply partisan hostility' indicates that the blank must have a strong negative emotional connotation. 'Pejorative' directly means expressing contempt, disapproval, or belittlement, aligning perfectly with both the structural logic and emotional valence of the passage.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and identify structural signals.
The transition word 'Despite' establishes a contrast between what the cartographer claimed ('an impartial geographical survey') and what his actual descriptors revealed.
Contrast clues indicate that the blank must express the opposite of impartiality.
2
Determine the required tone and connotative valence of the target blank.
The contextual phrase 'exposed a deeply partisan hostility' dictates that the missing word must carry a distinctly negative, disparaging emotional tone.
The blank modifies 'descriptors' and must logically explain how those descriptors reveal hostility.
3
Evaluate the options for semantic definition and connotative alignment.
'Pejorative' means disparaging or belittling, which perfectly matches both the semantic requirement and the negative emotional valence.
Options like 'dispassionate', 'meticulous', 'florid', and 'rigorous' either lack negative valence or align with the initial claim rather than the contrast clue.

Key Concept

Tone and Connotation Matching
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Topics

Tone and Connotation Matching

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