Complete the passage with the word that is most logical and precise in context.
Answer:Although early historians believed that the ancient city of Pompeii was completely destroyed in an instant, recent excavations show that the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius was actually a gradual process. The new evidence suggests that the disaster unfolded over several days, meaning that the city's destruction was not 【instantaneous】, as previously assumed.
Answer
instantaneous (or a similar word meaning immediate or sudden)
The sentence sets up a contrast between the new findings (that the eruption was a 'gradual process' unfolding 'over several days') and the previous belief (that the city was destroyed 'in an instant'). The word in the blank completes the phrase 'was not [blank]' to describe the old belief. Therefore, a word meaning happening in an instant—such as 'instantaneous', 'sudden', or 'immediate'—correctly indicates that the destruction did not happen all at once.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Words in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary