In the mid-twentieth century, historians studying international diplomacy frequently debated the efficacy of the 1902 border treaty between the two neighboring empires. Although the treaty was initially celebrated as a definitive resolution to their decades-long boundary dispute, subsequent diplomatic cables and localized border skirmishes revealed that the agreement had not resolved the underlying territorial tensions. Instead, it had merely ________ them, temporarily masking the unresolved rivalry under a veneer of cooperation until a more robust framework could be negotiated.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
- Aexacerbated
- palliatedAnswer
- Ccodified
- Dpreempted
Answer
The correct answer is palliated.
The correct answer is the word 'palliated'. In medical and formal academic contexts, to palliate is to alleviate symptoms or reduce the severity of a problem without treating its root cause. The passage indicates that while the treaty did not resolve the core territorial tensions, it managed to temporarily mask the rivalry under a veneer of cooperation. Thus, the treaty palliated the tensions by easing their outward expression without achieving a lasting resolution.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Words in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary