Lecture 15

Solutions
174. In her later years, Bertha Pappenheim was an apostle of noble but already(i)_____notions, always respected for her
integrity, her energy, and her resolve but increasingly out of step and ultimately (ii)_____even her own organization.

Blank (i) Blank (ii)

Anachronistic Emulated by
Accepted Appreciated by
exotic Alienated from

The sentence is clearly conveying a contrast since “but” is used twice to indicate something positive and something
negative about Pappenheim. The clue to the negative aspect is in the later part of the sentence, where “out of step”
leads Both to “anachronistic” as the answer for the first blank and “alienated from” as the answer for the second.
Thus, the correct answer is anachronistic (Choice A) and alienated from (Choice F).
175. The (i)_____of Vladimir Nabokov as one of North America`s literary giants has thrown the spotlight on his peripheral
activities and has thus served to (ii)_____his efforts as an amateur entomologist.

Blank (i) Blank (ii)

Stigmatization foreground
Lionization Transcend
marginalization Obscure

It is possible to analyze this sentence by starting with either blank. Broadly, it states that something that has
happened to Nabokov has called attention to some of his peripheral activities. It would hardly make sense for what
had happened to be either stigmatization or marginalization, since both of those activities represent a turning away
from him, not a calling attention to him. So the correct answer for the first blank is “lionization,” since to lionize
means to treat as important. Then, since we are told that Nabokov is a literary giant, entomology must be one of his
peripheral activities, so the correct answer for the second blank must be “foreground,” which also means “call
attention to.” Spotlighting something would not result in transcending it or obscuring it, so neither of the other
choices is correct. Thus,The correct answer is lionization (Choice B) and foreground (Choice D).
178. Belanger dances with an (i) _____ that draws one's attention as if by seeking to (ii) _____ it; through finesse
and understatement, he manages to seem at once intensely present and curiously detached.

Blank (i) Blank (ii)

undemonstrative panache focus
unrestrained enthusiasm overwhelm
unattractive gawkiness deflect
Blank(i) should be filled with a noun or a noun structure, indicating the characteristics of the dance of person B. The
"through finesse and understatement" in the sentence after the semicolon is actually the same accompanying structure
as the previous sentence, so what is mentioned here is the feature that should be filled in the previous sentence, that is,
the person B dances beautifully or skillfully Superb features. Then look at blank (ii), which should be filled with a verb,
indicating a kind of connotation that person B wants to show in dancing. Find the corresponding part in the following text
according to the complex finger relationship, and find that this person's dance is "intensely present" at first glance, and
"at first glance" is a special contrasting structure, so this person's dance is actually not closely presented come out, but
through the "detached" feature reflected in the parallel connection of and, that is, the "scattered" feature.
Explanation of words: [1]. (A) undemonstrative panache: (unmodified rich expression) [2]. (B) unrestrained enthusiasm:
(unrestricted enthusiasm) [3]. (C) unattractive gawkiness: (not Attractive clumsiness) [4]. (D) focus: (pay attention to)
directed attention: EMPHASIS [5]. (E) overwhelm: (overwhelm) to overcome by superior force or numbers [6]. (F) deflect:
( to separate, diverge) to turn aside : DEVIATE

Correct answer: AF
179. The serious study of popular culture by intellectuals is regularly credited with having rendered obsolete a
once-dominant view that popular culture is inherently inferior to high art. Yet this alteration of attitudes may be
somewhat (i) _____ . Although it is now academically respectable to analyze popular culture, the fact that many
intellectuals feel compelled to rationalize their own (ii) _____ action movies or mass-market fiction reveals,
perhaps unwittingly, their continued (iii) _____ the old hierarchy of high and low culture.

i ii Iii
A counterproductive D penchant for G aversion to
B underappreciated E distaste for H investment in
C overstated F indifference to I misunderstanding of
The sentence discusses a purported change in how popular culture and high art are relatively valued; the author is
scrutinizing the notion that the academic study of the former has significantly raised its once lowly status. In the last
sentence, Blank (iii) is preceded by the word “continued,” indicating that something about intellectuals’ view of the
hierarchy of culture has remained unchanged. Since the author states in the first sentence that this hierarchy was once
dominant, “investment in” the hierarchy would indicate that sense of continuity. Neither of the other two options is
supported by the passage because there is no indication the author believes that intellectuals have a long-held aversion to
or misunderstanding of that hierarchy. The “although” that begins the last sentence indicates that the phrase completed
by Blank (ii) will contrast the respectability of analyses of popular culture with something that nonetheless reveals a
continued allegiance to the hierarchy. A need to explain away a “distaste for” or an “indifference to” action movies or pulp
fiction would not indicate any such allegiance, so those choices must be incorrect. However, a need to justify one’s
penchant or liking for popular culture would indicate an adherence to the high-low culture hierarchy. Thus “penchant for”
is the correct choice for Blank (ii). Finally, since the author is suggesting that the hierarchy given to high and low culture is
not obsolete as some claim, it follows that the shift in attitudes is exaggerated; thus, the correct answer to Blank (i) is
“overstated.” “Underappreciated” implies the opposite, and “counterproductive” implies a judgment about the value of
the hierarchy, whereas the passage is primarily concerned with its existence. Thus the correct answer
180. In searching for norms in the sense of authoritative standards of what ought to be, rather than in the sense of what is
average and thus can be considered normal, normative ethics aims to _____ .
•A predict
•B mitigate
•C question
•D dictate
•E personalize

The blank reflects the consistency between means (aims to) and purpose (In searching for), and should be a synonym for
autoritative,
D option, dictate, command, regulation.
Normative ethics seeks to be an authoritative standard of what it should be, not what the average person considers
reasonable, so it attempts to (specify and command.)