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Question

Difficulty: HardWords Commonly Confused and Homonyms

Fill in the blanks in the sentence below with the correct pair of commonly confused words.

Answer:To avoid drawing unwanted public attention during the investigation, the auditor was advised to remain 【discreet】, while evaluating each subsidiary of the conglomerate as a 【discrete】 economic unit.

Answer

The correct words are 'discreet' for the first blank and 'discrete' for the second blank.
The word 'discreet' means cautious, reserved, or careful to avoid notice, matching the auditor's required behavior in the first blank. The word 'discrete' means separate, distinct, or unconnected, fitting the description of individual corporate units in the second blank.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context requirements for the first blank.
The context 'to avoid drawing unwanted public attention' requires an adjective meaning prudent, circumspect, or careful in conduct, which is 'discreet'.
The homophone 'discrete' means separate or distinct and does not describe cautious behavior.
2
Analyze the context requirements for the second blank.
The context requiring the evaluation of subsidiaries individually requires an adjective meaning separate, distinct, or detached, which is 'discrete'.
Using 'discreet' for the second blank would incorrectly imply that the corporate unit itself possesses secrecy or tact rather than distinctness.

Key Concept

Distinction between the homophones 'discreet' (prudent/cautious) and 'discrete' (separate/distinct)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Words Commonly Confused and Homonyms

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