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Difficulty: Very hardWords in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary

Though many nineteenth-century critics dismissed Mary Shelley’s *Frankenstein* as a sensationalist gothic romance, contemporary scholars recognize that the novel’s engagement with the scientific debates of its era was far from ________. Shelley did not merely employ scientific concepts as decorative elements to heighten the story's suspense; rather, her narrative carefully interrogates the ethical limits of galvanism and early anatomy, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of contemporary natural philosophy.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

  1. A
    anomalous
  2. B
    sporadic
  3. perfunctoryAnswer
  4. D
    dispassionate

Answer

perfunctory
The passage contrasts the view of Shelley's scientific references as merely decorative suspense-building tools with the fact that her novel 'carefully interrogates' science and shows a 'sophisticated understanding.' Because the novel's scientific engagement is deep and careful, it is far from perfunctory (superficial or carried out with minimal effort).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context and contrast indicators in the passage.
The phrase 'far from ________' sets up a contrast with the initial idea that the scientific references were merely 'decorative elements' to 'heighten the story's suspense' (i.e., shallow or superficial).
This establishes the semantic role that the blank must fill, which is the opposite of 'sophisticated understanding' and 'careful interrogation.'
2
Determine the meaning required for the blank.
The blank must mean superficial, casual, or lacking in depth and care.
Since the passage argues that the scientific engagement was actually deep, nuanced, and carefully interrogated, it was far from superficial or routine.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the word that matches the required meaning.
'Perfunctory' means characterized by routine or superficiality, which precisely matches the opposite of the deep and careful engagement described.
This completes the contrast logically and grammatically.

Key Concept

Words in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary
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Words in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary

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