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Difficulty: MediumPhrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

During the defense of his research proposal, the postgraduate student attempted to ________ the initial sample size limitations, but the panel demanded a full account of the methodology. Which phrasal verb correctly completes the sentence?

  1. A
    glaze over
  2. gloss overAnswer
  3. C
    gloss through
  4. D
    gloss about

Answer

The phrasal verb 'gloss over' correctly completes the sentence.
The phrasal verb 'gloss over' means to deliberately treat a mistake, weakness, or flaw as minor or to cover it up without adequate discussion. In the given context, it accurately describes the student's attempt to minimize the sample size limitations during his proposal defense.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context.
The student is attempting to downplay or avoid discussing methodological flaws, while the panel insists on addressing them.
Understanding the context clarifies that the required verb must express minimizing or ignoring a negative detail.
2
Evaluate the phrasal verb options for precise idiomatic meaning.
'Gloss over' means to treat a fault or limitation as insignificant to avoid criticism.
Only 'gloss over' accurately conveys the intention of ignoring or minimizing research limitations in Standard English.

Key Concept

Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Phrasal Verbs and Prepositional Verbs

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