Question:

Many know him for his great scientific achievements, but Benjamin Franklin always believed that public service should (i) ______ science. Accordingly, his political contributions to the formation of the United States were (ii) _____ .

The "but" makes it clear that Benjamin Franklin's beliefs were different, if not the opposite, and would have made science at least secondary. Therefore, we have to consider as possible alternatives for the blank, the choices outweigh and impede. There is nothing in the sentence that suggests he would have wanted politics to impede science. If he did want such a thing, the word choices for the second blank which talk about the nature of his political contributions, would disclose it. The choices substantial, paltry and abhorrent do not in any way suggest (when we read the full second sentence) that his political contributions sought to impede science. Therefore, outweigh is the best choice. We reject replicate because of "but".

Now let us come to the second blank. Now, if Benjamin Franklin believed that public service should outweigh science, in spite of his great scientific achievements, then we can assume that his political contributions would be substantial, rather than paltry. There is nothing to suggest his political contributions would be abhorrent. So we select substantial and outweigh as the correct choices for the second and first blanks.

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