OE


The most important words here are “forced” and “unconvincing,” used to describe Brawnson’s account of his adventures. That means that Brawnson is decidedly not Indiana Jones, so the blank must in some way negate “adventurer.” “Self-styled” and “so-called” both imply that Brawnson may call himself an adventurer, but other people might not, which is exactly what the blank needs. “Hapless” and “unlucky” form a pair, but this answer isn’t correct because adventurers can certainly be unlucky and the story of an unlucky adventurer would not necessarily be “forced and unconvincing.” “Bold” and “intrepid” also form a pair, but they would enhance Brawnson’s reputation as an “adventurer.”