Re: A recent Harris Poll indicated that many professions have
[#permalink]
22 Nov 2025, 00:11
Analysis of the Blanks
1. Blank (i): The Trend of Most Professions
- Most professions have seen a decline in their _______ (i).
- We need a word that can decline and refers to the standing or public view of a profession.
- (A) ranks: Refers to position in a hierarchy, but usually in a formal sense.
- (B) prestige: Refers to widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the basis of a perception of their achievements or quality. This fits the idea of something that can decline or rise in the public eye.
- (C) fortunes: Refers to wealth or luck. While wealth can decline, prestige is a better fit for a survey comparing the public standing of professions.
2. Blank (ii): The Trend for Teaching
- Teaching, in contrast, has ________ (ii) more respect.
- Since other professions saw a decline in standing (prestige), teaching must have seen an increase or acquisition of respect.
- (D) reflected: Means to show or represent something. (Doesn't mean acquisition).
- (E) squandered: Means to waste something (the opposite of what is needed).
- (F) reaped: Means to receive (a reward or benefit) as a consequence of one's actions; to harvest or gain. This implies teaching gained or acquired respect.
Conclusion
Pairing the options that show the decline of standing followed by the gain of standing:
- Blank (i): prestige (standing declined)
- Blank (ii): reaped (respect gained/acquired)
The completed sentence reads: "A recent Harris Poll indicated that many professions have seen a decline in their prestige over the past several years; teaching, in contrast, has reaped more respect over the same time period."
The correct answers are (B) prestige and (F) reaped.