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That her professional trajectory struck even sympathetic observers as
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09 Jun 2026, 03:14
09 Jun 2026, 03:14
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Question Stats:
55% (01:06) correct
44% (01:10) wrong based on 18 sessions
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That her professional trajectory struck even sympathetic observers as markedly _______ never prompted Okonkwo to think of herself as a maverick; on the contrary, she regarded the decisions that shaped her career as entirely unremarkable, the natural outcome of pragmatic reasoning.
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| Two Answers |
|---|
| A. idiosyncratic |
| B. quixotic |
| C. eccentric | D. ostentatious | E. prosperous |
| F. heterodox |
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Re: That her professional trajectory struck even sympathetic observers as
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12 Jun 2026, 00:02
12 Jun 2026, 00:02
1
Expert Reply
Explanation
The sentence hinges on the contrast between how "sympathetic observers" viewed Okonkwo's career path versus how she viewed it herself.
The sentence notes that she never thought of herself as a "maverick" (an unorthodox, independent-minded person or nonconformist). Instead, she viewed her decisions as completely "unremarkable" and "pragmatic."
Therefore, the blank needs a word that matches the observers' view of her as a "maverick", meaning her career trajectory looked highly unique, unconventional, or peculiar to outsiders.
Idiosyncratic (A) means unique, peculiar, or individualistic to an individual, which perfectly aligns with looking like a maverick.
Eccentric (C) means unconventional, unusual, or odd, which creates an exact synonym match with idiosyncratic in this context.
Heterodox (F): While it means unorthodox, it usually applies specifically to religious, political, or ideological beliefs rather than a physical career path or trajectory. Additionally, it lacks a perfect synonym partner among the other choices.
Quixotic (B): This means exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical. This is incorrect because the sentence highlights that her actual logic was "pragmatic" (practical), meaning her path wasn't actually unrealistic-it just looked unconventional to others.
Ostentatious (D): This means vulgar, pretentious, or designed to impress and attract notice. There is no indication that her path was flashy or showy.
Prosperous (E): This means successful or flourishing. While a career path can be prosperous, it doesn't contrast with being a "maverick" or being "unremarkable."
Answer: A,C
The sentence hinges on the contrast between how "sympathetic observers" viewed Okonkwo's career path versus how she viewed it herself.
The sentence notes that she never thought of herself as a "maverick" (an unorthodox, independent-minded person or nonconformist). Instead, she viewed her decisions as completely "unremarkable" and "pragmatic."
Therefore, the blank needs a word that matches the observers' view of her as a "maverick", meaning her career trajectory looked highly unique, unconventional, or peculiar to outsiders.
Idiosyncratic (A) means unique, peculiar, or individualistic to an individual, which perfectly aligns with looking like a maverick.
Eccentric (C) means unconventional, unusual, or odd, which creates an exact synonym match with idiosyncratic in this context.
Heterodox (F): While it means unorthodox, it usually applies specifically to religious, political, or ideological beliefs rather than a physical career path or trajectory. Additionally, it lacks a perfect synonym partner among the other choices.
Quixotic (B): This means exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical. This is incorrect because the sentence highlights that her actual logic was "pragmatic" (practical), meaning her path wasn't actually unrealistic-it just looked unconventional to others.
Ostentatious (D): This means vulgar, pretentious, or designed to impress and attract notice. There is no indication that her path was flashy or showy.
Prosperous (E): This means successful or flourishing. While a career path can be prosperous, it doesn't contrast with being a "maverick" or being "unremarkable."
Answer: A,C
Re: That her professional trajectory struck even sympathetic observers as
[#permalink]
12 Jun 2026, 04:00
12 Jun 2026, 04:00
Expert Reply
Let's analyze the sentence.
Key clues:
- "struck even sympathetic observers as markedly _______ "
- "never prompted Okonkwo to think of herself as a maverick"
- "she regarded the decisions... as entirely unremarkable"
The contrast is clear: Others saw her career path as unusual/quirky (hence the "maverick" label), but she herself saw it as normal and pragmatic.
We need two words that mean unconventional, unorthodox, individualistic - synonymous with "maverick-like."
Examining choices:
- A. idiosyncratic $=$ peculiar to an individual; eccentric → fits perfectly.
- B. quixotic = exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic → not about unconventionality; about impractical idealism.
- C . eccentric $=$ unconventional, slightly strange → fits perfectly.
- D. ostentatious = showy, pretentious → not about unconventionality.
- E. prosperous $=$ successful, wealthy → opposite of the intended meaning.
- F. heterodox $=$ unorthodox, departing from accepted beliefs \(\rightarrow\) fits the context.
Pairing synonyms:
- A. idiosyncratic and C. eccentric are a classic sentence equivalence pair - both describe a personal, quirky unconventionality.
- F. heterodox means unorthodox but is more commonly used for beliefs/doctrines than for a "professional trajectory."
The most precisely matched pair for describing an unusual career path is A (idiosyncratic) and C (eccentric).
Answer: A. idiosyncratic and C. eccentric
Key clues:
- "struck even sympathetic observers as markedly _______ "
- "never prompted Okonkwo to think of herself as a maverick"
- "she regarded the decisions... as entirely unremarkable"
The contrast is clear: Others saw her career path as unusual/quirky (hence the "maverick" label), but she herself saw it as normal and pragmatic.
We need two words that mean unconventional, unorthodox, individualistic - synonymous with "maverick-like."
Examining choices:
- A. idiosyncratic $=$ peculiar to an individual; eccentric → fits perfectly.
- B. quixotic = exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic → not about unconventionality; about impractical idealism.
- C . eccentric $=$ unconventional, slightly strange → fits perfectly.
- D. ostentatious = showy, pretentious → not about unconventionality.
- E. prosperous $=$ successful, wealthy → opposite of the intended meaning.
- F. heterodox $=$ unorthodox, departing from accepted beliefs \(\rightarrow\) fits the context.
Pairing synonyms:
- A. idiosyncratic and C. eccentric are a classic sentence equivalence pair - both describe a personal, quirky unconventionality.
- F. heterodox means unorthodox but is more commonly used for beliefs/doctrines than for a "professional trajectory."
The most precisely matched pair for describing an unusual career path is A (idiosyncratic) and C (eccentric).
Answer: A. idiosyncratic and C. eccentric
