OE

The best way to attack this sentence is to deal with the second and third blanks first. First off, there’s the “even . . . recondite topics,” which indicates that the second blank is (F). That is, the author can make even the most obscure topics seem interesting and light. The word “becomes” signals a shift between the second and third blanks. Therefore, (G) curiously stilted, which means “awkward and unnatural,” works best. Notice that once you’ve solved the second and third blank, you get a sentence that says that Jansen can write about the most obscure topic in a relaxed, informal way, but when he has to write informally, he’s anything but relaxed. This is an example of a paradox, i.e., something that’s true but somehow contradictory. Therefore, (C) paradoxical fits in the first blank.