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Countless generations have been divided on Mendelssohn's $\qquad$ sh
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16 Sep 2025, 01:50
16 Sep 2025, 01:50
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Question Stats:
42% (00:52) correct
57% (00:54) wrong based on 14 sessions
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Countless generations have been divided on Mendelssohn's (i) _______ — should he inhabit the same pantheon as Bach and Haydn, or be (ii) _______ to the ranks of could-have-beens? After all, it can be argued that his (iii) _______ came at the age of 14 with his Octet in E-flat, a work, many believe, the composer never eclipsed in his remaining twenty-six years.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
|---|---|---|
| A. technique | D. relegated | G. apogee |
| B. posterity | E. elevated | H.precocity |
| C. legacy | F. sublimated | I. nadir |
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Re: Countless generations have been divided on Mendelssohn's $\qquad$ sh
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16 Sep 2025, 02:41
16 Sep 2025, 02:41
AEG
Re: Countless generations have been divided on Mendelssohn's $\qquad$ sh
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19 Nov 2025, 09:43
19 Nov 2025, 09:43
Expert Reply
Detailed Analysis
1. Analyze Blank (i): The Subject of Division
- Context: "Countless generations have been divided on Mendelssohn's _______ ." The nature of the division is whether he should be in the "pantheon as Bach and Haydn" or be dismissed.
- Logic: The division concerns his historical place, reputation, and overall influence.
- C. legacy: Refers to the long-term impact, reputation, and historical position of a person's work. This perfectly fits the idea of whether he belongs with the greats or the also-rans.
- A. technique is too specific (only about his compositional method).
- B. posterity refers to future generations, not the thing being debated by those generations.
2. Analyze Blank (ii): The Negative Fate
- Context: The split is between being in the "pantheon" (greats) or being _______ to the "ranks of could-have-beens" (failures/minor figures).
- Logic: The verb must mean to assign someone to a lower or inferior position.
- D. relegated: Means to put in a lower or less important rank or position. This establishes the necessary contrast with being placed in the "pantheon."
- E. elevated is the opposite.
3. Analyze Blank (iii): The Early Achievement
- Context: The argument for placing him in the "could-have-beens" is that his best work came at age 14, and he "never eclipsed" it. This suggests his career peaked early.
- Logic: The word must mean peak, height of achievement, or early genius.
- G. apogee: Means the highest point in the development of something; a climax or culmination. This describes the peak of his career at age 14.
- H. precocity: Means unusually early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude). While Mendelssohn was precocious, the sentence is arguing that his best achievement ( _______ ) came at age 14. The Octet is the apogee, which was only possible because of his precocity. Apogee is the better noun to describe the work itself.
1. Analyze Blank (i): The Subject of Division
- Context: "Countless generations have been divided on Mendelssohn's _______ ." The nature of the division is whether he should be in the "pantheon as Bach and Haydn" or be dismissed.
- Logic: The division concerns his historical place, reputation, and overall influence.
- C. legacy: Refers to the long-term impact, reputation, and historical position of a person's work. This perfectly fits the idea of whether he belongs with the greats or the also-rans.
- A. technique is too specific (only about his compositional method).
- B. posterity refers to future generations, not the thing being debated by those generations.
2. Analyze Blank (ii): The Negative Fate
- Context: The split is between being in the "pantheon" (greats) or being _______ to the "ranks of could-have-beens" (failures/minor figures).
- Logic: The verb must mean to assign someone to a lower or inferior position.
- D. relegated: Means to put in a lower or less important rank or position. This establishes the necessary contrast with being placed in the "pantheon."
- E. elevated is the opposite.
3. Analyze Blank (iii): The Early Achievement
- Context: The argument for placing him in the "could-have-beens" is that his best work came at age 14, and he "never eclipsed" it. This suggests his career peaked early.
- Logic: The word must mean peak, height of achievement, or early genius.
- G. apogee: Means the highest point in the development of something; a climax or culmination. This describes the peak of his career at age 14.
- H. precocity: Means unusually early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude). While Mendelssohn was precocious, the sentence is arguing that his best achievement ( _______ ) came at age 14. The Octet is the apogee, which was only possible because of his precocity. Apogee is the better noun to describe the work itself.
