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As Gerard (i) _______ the (ii) _______ that greeted his work
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04 Feb 2026, 05:02
04 Feb 2026, 05:02
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Question Stats:
82% (00:38) correct
17% (00:51) wrong based on 17 sessions
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As Gerard (i) _______ the (ii) _______ that greeted his work, he became increasingly smug.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) |
|---|---|
| A. repudiated | D. accolades |
| B. humbly | E. opprobrium |
| C. basked in | F. lack of interest |
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Re: As Gerard (i) _______ the (ii) _______ that greeted his work
[#permalink]
08 Feb 2026, 08:56
08 Feb 2026, 08:56
Expert Reply
The correct choices are (C) basked in and (D) accolades.
The Logic Breakdown
- The Clue: The key to this sentence is the final word, "smug." Being smug means having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.
- The Cause (Blank ii): What kind of feedback makes someone feel proud and smug?
- Opprobrium (E) means harsh criticism or public disgrace-this would make a person defensive or sad, not smug.
- Lack of interest (F) would likely lead to frustration or apathy.
- Accolades (D) are awards, honors, or expressions of praise. This is the only option that naturally leads to a sense of self-satisfaction.
- The Action (Blank i): Now we need to determine how Gerard reacted to those accolades.
- Repudiated (A) means to reject or disown. If he rejected the praise, he wouldn't be smug about it.
- Humbly (B) is an adverb, not a verb, and it creates a grammatical error ("As Gerard humbly the accolades..."). Furthermore, humility is the opposite of smugness.
- Basked in (C) means to revel in or enjoy a pleasant situation. Taking in all the praise (basking) is what directly caused his increasing smugness.
Why the others fail:
The sentence describes a progression: Gerard receives positive reinforcement and his ego grows as a result.
- (A) and (E): "As Gerard repudiated the opprobrium..." would mean he rejected the criticism. While he might feel defiant, "smug" is specifically tied to pride in work.
- (C) and (E): "Basking in opprobrium" is a logical contradiction; one does not usually "revel" in being publicly shamed unless they are intentionally trying to be a villain.
The Logic Breakdown
- The Clue: The key to this sentence is the final word, "smug." Being smug means having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.
- The Cause (Blank ii): What kind of feedback makes someone feel proud and smug?
- Opprobrium (E) means harsh criticism or public disgrace-this would make a person defensive or sad, not smug.
- Lack of interest (F) would likely lead to frustration or apathy.
- Accolades (D) are awards, honors, or expressions of praise. This is the only option that naturally leads to a sense of self-satisfaction.
- The Action (Blank i): Now we need to determine how Gerard reacted to those accolades.
- Repudiated (A) means to reject or disown. If he rejected the praise, he wouldn't be smug about it.
- Humbly (B) is an adverb, not a verb, and it creates a grammatical error ("As Gerard humbly the accolades..."). Furthermore, humility is the opposite of smugness.
- Basked in (C) means to revel in or enjoy a pleasant situation. Taking in all the praise (basking) is what directly caused his increasing smugness.
Why the others fail:
The sentence describes a progression: Gerard receives positive reinforcement and his ego grows as a result.
- (A) and (E): "As Gerard repudiated the opprobrium..." would mean he rejected the criticism. While he might feel defiant, "smug" is specifically tied to pride in work.
- (C) and (E): "Basking in opprobrium" is a logical contradiction; one does not usually "revel" in being publicly shamed unless they are intentionally trying to be a villain.
gmatclubot
Re: As Gerard (i) _______ the (ii) _______ that greeted his work [#permalink]
08 Feb 2026, 08:56
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