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Question

Difficulty: MediumSupport and Cause-Effect Clues

The dendrochronological record from the subalpine forest revealed an abrupt, severe narrowing of annual growth rings corresponding to the sixth-century volcanic cooling event; consequently, paleoclimatologists inferred that the unseasonal frost had ________ local agricultural output, directly precipitating years of widespread famine. Which of the following words best completes the sentence by preserving the logical cause-and-effect relationship?

  1. A
    augmented
  2. blightedAnswer
  3. C
    obliterated
  4. D
    obfuscated
  5. E
    vindicated

Answer

The correct completion is 'blighted'.
The sentence relies on the cause-and-effect signal 'consequently' linking a severe volcanic cooling event to 'years of widespread famine.' The blank requires a verb describing the negative impact of unseasonal frost on agricultural output. The word 'blighted' means severely damaged, ruined, or impaired, perfectly completing the causal chain.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze structural transition signals
Identified 'consequently' as a cause-and-effect transition indicator showing that the second clause describes the direct result of the volcanic cooling event.
The transition signal dictates that the missing word must logically align with the cause (severe frost) and effect (widespread famine).
2
Determine contextual valence and meaning
The target word must have a negative polarity meaning to spoil, impair, or ruin crop yields.
Unseasonal frost acting as a cause must result in a word that explains how agriculture was harmed to precipitate famine.
3
Evaluate option choices against semantic requirements
Selected 'blighted' as it precisely means ruined or severely impaired without extreme hyperbolic overstatement.
'Blighted' fits both the degree of intensity and the negative causal direction indicated by the passage.

Key Concept

Identifying Cause-and-Effect Clues and Matching Valence Intensity
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Support and Cause-Effect Clues

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