OE


The sentence suggests that despite the unimpressive media coverage of the event, the organizers were still pleased. The second part of the sentence states one specific positive aspect of the event: a "mass of everyday people" attended. Therefore, the best pair of words here would be "coup" and "achievement," both of which can mean a successful move, and both of which match the positive feelings that the organizers felt. A "miracle" (a highly improbable event that can't be explained by science) is too strong. Of the remaining options, "blemish" and "debacle" form a pair, but they contradict the intended meaning of the sentence. Finally, "exception" does not work since it does not have a pair.