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Since the composer's rehearsals were (i) ______ -at least four of
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28 Sep 2026, 11:28
28 Sep 2026, 11:28
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33% (02:04) correct
66% (02:03) wrong based on 9 sessions
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Since the composer's rehearsals were (i) ______ -at least four of those in attendance, it later emerged, were paid informers-and his scores could be removed from any program at the Party's insistence, readers, however familiar with the general shape of his career, will find Hollis's biography (ii) ______ in its portrait of the (iii) ______ under which he worked, so much so that few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
|---|---|---|
| A. proscribed | D. edifying | G. genial paternalism |
| B. infiltrated | E. perfunctory | H. self-imposed austerity |
| C. consecrated | F. harrowing | I. pervasive suspicion |
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Since the composer's rehearsals were (i) ______ -at least four of
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03 Oct 2026, 22:37
03 Oct 2026, 22:37
Expert Reply
Correct Answers:
Blank (i): B. infiltrated
Blank (ii): F. harrowing
Blank (iii): l. pervasive suspicion
Difficulty Level: Hard
Full Explanation
Sentence Structure & Logic
The sentence builds a causal chain:
Blank (i): The composer's rehearsals were (i) ______ - evidenced by paid informers present.
Additional evidence: His scores could be removed at the Party's insistence (constant threat).
Result: Readers will find Hollis's biography (ii) ______in its portrait of the (iii) ______ under which he worked.
Clincher: The biography is so distressing that "few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting."
This final clause is the key to blank (ii): the biography is emotionally overwhelming.
Blank (i) - infiltrated
The dash clause provides direct evidence: "at least four of those in attendance, it later emerged, were paid informers."
Paid informers secretly penetrating rehearsals means the rehearsals were infiltrated-penetrated by hostile spies.
Infiltrated = entered or penetrated secretly, especially for hostile purposes.
Why not the others:
A. proscribed = forbidden or outlawed. The rehearsals occurred; they were not banned.
C. consecrated = made sacred. Completely contradicts the atmosphere of betrayal and surveillance.
Blank (ii) - harrowing
The clue is the final clause: "so much so that few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting." This signals that the biography is acutely distressing-hard to endure emotionally.
Harrowing = acutely distressing, painful, or traumatic.
Why not the others:
D. edifying = morally improving or enlightening. The clue is about emotional difficulty, not intellectual improvement.
E. perfunctory = done routinely without care. This contradicts the intense emotional reaction described.
Blank (iii) - pervasive suspicion
The conditions under which the composer worked included:
Paid informers at rehearsals (constant surveillance).
Scores removable at the Party's insistence (ever-present threat).
Together, these create an atmosphere of pervasive suspicion-widespread, unrelenting distrust where no one could be trusted.
Pervasive = present everywhere; widespread.
Suspicion = distrust, wariness.
Why not the others:
G. genial paternalism = kindly, fatherly control. The Party's control was threatening, not kindly.
H. self-imposed austerity = voluntary simplicity. The constraints were imposed by the Party, not chosen by the composer.
Blank (i): B. infiltrated
Blank (ii): F. harrowing
Blank (iii): l. pervasive suspicion
Difficulty Level: Hard
Full Explanation
Sentence Structure & Logic
The sentence builds a causal chain:
Blank (i): The composer's rehearsals were (i) ______ - evidenced by paid informers present.
Additional evidence: His scores could be removed at the Party's insistence (constant threat).
Result: Readers will find Hollis's biography (ii) ______in its portrait of the (iii) ______ under which he worked.
Clincher: The biography is so distressing that "few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting."
This final clause is the key to blank (ii): the biography is emotionally overwhelming.
Blank (i) - infiltrated
The dash clause provides direct evidence: "at least four of those in attendance, it later emerged, were paid informers."
Paid informers secretly penetrating rehearsals means the rehearsals were infiltrated-penetrated by hostile spies.
Infiltrated = entered or penetrated secretly, especially for hostile purposes.
Why not the others:
A. proscribed = forbidden or outlawed. The rehearsals occurred; they were not banned.
C. consecrated = made sacred. Completely contradicts the atmosphere of betrayal and surveillance.
Blank (ii) - harrowing
The clue is the final clause: "so much so that few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting." This signals that the biography is acutely distressing-hard to endure emotionally.
Harrowing = acutely distressing, painful, or traumatic.
Why not the others:
D. edifying = morally improving or enlightening. The clue is about emotional difficulty, not intellectual improvement.
E. perfunctory = done routinely without care. This contradicts the intense emotional reaction described.
Blank (iii) - pervasive suspicion
The conditions under which the composer worked included:
Paid informers at rehearsals (constant surveillance).
Scores removable at the Party's insistence (ever-present threat).
Together, these create an atmosphere of pervasive suspicion-widespread, unrelenting distrust where no one could be trusted.
Pervasive = present everywhere; widespread.
Suspicion = distrust, wariness.
Why not the others:
G. genial paternalism = kindly, fatherly control. The Party's control was threatening, not kindly.
H. self-imposed austerity = voluntary simplicity. The constraints were imposed by the Party, not chosen by the composer.
Since the composer's rehearsals were (i) ______ -at least four of
[#permalink]
03 Oct 2026, 22:37
03 Oct 2026, 22:37
Expert Reply
Why This Is Hard
1. Three-blank interdependence with a causal chain.
The blanks are logically linked:
(i) establishes the surveillance (infiltrated rehearsals).
(iii) names the resulting atmosphere (pervasive suspicion).
(ii) describes the reader's emotional response (harrowing).
You must track all three simultaneously while parsing a complex sentence with dashes and multiple clauses.
2. The final clause is the key to blank (ii).
"Few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting" signals emotional difficulty-not intellectual edification or dullness. Miss this and you might wrongly pick edifying or perfunctory.
3. "Pervasive suspicion" requires synthesis.
You must combine two pieces of evidence-paid informers and Party control over scores-to recognize a climate of constant, widespread distrust.
4. High-level vocabulary throughout.
Infiltrated, harrowing, pervasive suspicion-all mid-to-high GRE vocabulary. Distractors like proscribed, consecrated, and genial paternalism add further challenge.
5. Distractors are plausible but wrong in tone.
Genial paternalism sounds like a real historical concept but contradicts the threatening evidence. Self-imposed austerity misattributes the source of the constraints (Party, not self).
1. Three-blank interdependence with a causal chain.
The blanks are logically linked:
(i) establishes the surveillance (infiltrated rehearsals).
(iii) names the resulting atmosphere (pervasive suspicion).
(ii) describes the reader's emotional response (harrowing).
You must track all three simultaneously while parsing a complex sentence with dashes and multiple clauses.
2. The final clause is the key to blank (ii).
"Few can manage more than a chapter at a sitting" signals emotional difficulty-not intellectual edification or dullness. Miss this and you might wrongly pick edifying or perfunctory.
3. "Pervasive suspicion" requires synthesis.
You must combine two pieces of evidence-paid informers and Party control over scores-to recognize a climate of constant, widespread distrust.
4. High-level vocabulary throughout.
Infiltrated, harrowing, pervasive suspicion-all mid-to-high GRE vocabulary. Distractors like proscribed, consecrated, and genial paternalism add further challenge.
5. Distractors are plausible but wrong in tone.
Genial paternalism sounds like a real historical concept but contradicts the threatening evidence. Self-imposed austerity misattributes the source of the constraints (Party, not self).
