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By nature she was not ________ and so had great difficulty kowtowing
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07 Jan 2026, 14:49
07 Jan 2026, 14:49
Expert Reply
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Question Stats:
28% (00:28) correct
71% (01:00) wrong based on 7 sessions
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By nature she was not _______ and so had great difficulty kowtowing to the company's top brass.
| Two Answers |
|---|
| A. impudent |
| B. amenable |
| C. fawning | D. subversive | E. deferential |
| F. obsequious |
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Re: By nature she was not ________ and so had great difficulty kowtowing
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15 Jan 2026, 02:02
15 Jan 2026, 02:02
Expert Reply
The correct answers are C. fawning and F. obsequious.
Logic and Context
The sentence establishes a cause-and-effect relationship using the phrase "and so." To "kowtow" means to act in an excessively subservient or servile manner to someone (often to gain favor).
If the subject has difficulty kowtowing, it is because her natural personality lacks the traits associated with that behavior. Therefore, the blank must be filled with words that mean subservient, servile, or sycophantic.
- Fawning (C): Displaying exaggerated flattery or affection in a servile way.
- Obsequious (F): Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
These two words are near-synonyms that both describe the "sucking up" behavior implied by kowtowing.
Why the other options don't work:
- A. Impudent: This means rude or disrespectful. If she were not impudent, she would be polite, which wouldn't necessarily make kowtowing difficult.
- B. Amenable: This means open to suggestion or easily controlled. While it's in the right ballpark, it doesn't match the specific "servile" intensity of "kowtow."
- D. Subversive: This means seeking to undermine authority. If she were not subversive, she would be a rule-follower, which would make kowtowing easier, not harder.
- E. Deferential: This means showing respect. While kowtowing is an extreme form of deference, "deferential" is usually a positive or neutral trait. Fawning and Obsequious better capture the negative, groveling nuance of "kowtowing."
Logic and Context
The sentence establishes a cause-and-effect relationship using the phrase "and so." To "kowtow" means to act in an excessively subservient or servile manner to someone (often to gain favor).
If the subject has difficulty kowtowing, it is because her natural personality lacks the traits associated with that behavior. Therefore, the blank must be filled with words that mean subservient, servile, or sycophantic.
- Fawning (C): Displaying exaggerated flattery or affection in a servile way.
- Obsequious (F): Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
These two words are near-synonyms that both describe the "sucking up" behavior implied by kowtowing.
Why the other options don't work:
- A. Impudent: This means rude or disrespectful. If she were not impudent, she would be polite, which wouldn't necessarily make kowtowing difficult.
- B. Amenable: This means open to suggestion or easily controlled. While it's in the right ballpark, it doesn't match the specific "servile" intensity of "kowtow."
- D. Subversive: This means seeking to undermine authority. If she were not subversive, she would be a rule-follower, which would make kowtowing easier, not harder.
- E. Deferential: This means showing respect. While kowtowing is an extreme form of deference, "deferential" is usually a positive or neutral trait. Fawning and Obsequious better capture the negative, groveling nuance of "kowtowing."
gmatclubot
Re: By nature she was not ________ and so had great difficulty kowtowing [#permalink]
15 Jan 2026, 02:02
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