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Difficulty: Very hardMulti-Blank Text Completion: Cross-Sentence Contextual Coherence

Read the following passage:

For decades, historians assumed that the observational anomalies logged by nineteenth-century astronomers were merely (i)_______ errors caused by rudimentary equipment, rather than indicators of genuine physical phenomena. Consequently, mainstream theorists remained (ii)_______ in their commitment to existing cosmological models, treating discrepancies not as counterevidence but as irrelevant measurement noise. It was only when advanced spectroscopic analysis revealed that these subtle perturbations were systematically (iii)_______ across independent observatories that physicists conceded the necessity of a fundamental paradigm shift.

Which set of words, when inserted into the blanks, best completes the passage to maintain cross-sentence contextual coherence?

  1. instrumental | steadfast | replicatedAnswer
  2. B
    endemic | hesitant | suppressed
  3. C
    instrumental | ambivalent | ignored
  4. D
    intentional | steadfast | suppressed
  5. E
    endemic | steadfast | ignored

Answer

instrumental | steadfast | replicated
The option containing 'instrumental | steadfast | replicated' creates flawless cross-sentence logic. 'Instrumental' directly connects to the mention of 'rudimentary equipment'. 'Steadfast' logically follows from theorists dismissing errors as noise and maintaining their theoretical stance. 'Replicated' provides the critical empirical validation across multiple independent observatories needed to force a shift in scientific consensus.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Blank (i) using immediate structural clues.
The phrase 'caused by rudimentary equipment' directly points to 'instrumental' (pertaining to instruments or measurement tools).
The blank requires a modifier describing errors arising from physical apparatus.
2
Analyze Blank (ii) using cross-sentence cause-and-effect clues.
Because anomalies were dismissed as equipment noise ('Consequently...'), theorists remained firm, making 'steadfast' (unwavering) the logically coherent choice.
The sentence describes ongoing adherence to old models despite discrepancies.
3
Analyze Blank (iii) using the contrastive shift signal in sentence three.
'It was only when... revealed that these subtle perturbations were systematically [replicated] across independent observatories...' provides the necessary trigger for physicists to finally concede a paradigm shift.
For independent observatories to force a scientific consensus shift, the observations had to be consistently reproduced rather than dismissed as isolated errors.

Key Concept

Cross-Sentence Contextual Coherence in Multi-Blank Text Completions
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Multi-Blank Text Completion: Cross-Sentence Contextual Coherence

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