Correct Answers:

B. decisive
D. unmistakable


Difficulty Level: Medium

Full Explanation

Sentence Structure & Logic
The sentence sets up a contrast using the word "Though" and the adverb "nevertheless":

First clause (concession): Her work was dismissed by conventional theorists as "needlessly eccentric."
Second clause (reality): Her work has "nevertheless exerted a ______ influence" across three major, unrelated fields-civil engineering, digital animation, and urban planning.


The word "nevertheless" signals that the second clause contradicts the dismissal. If theorists dismissed her, but her influence reached three disparate fields, that influence must be significant and undeniable.

Blank (i) - The Influence Must Be Strong and Clear

Decisive = having a strong, determining effect; conclusive; unmistakable in its impact.
Unmistakable = clearly evident; impossible to deny or ignore.


Both convey that her influence was powerful and obvious-the exact opposite of what the dismissive theorists expected. They are close enough in meaning to satisfy the Sentence Equivalence requirement.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect}

A. desultory = random, disconnected, lacking a plan. While her work was called "eccentric," the sentence emphasizes the strength and reach of her influence, not its aimlessness.
C. peripheral = marginal, of minor importance. This would agree with the dismissal, not contradict it. It goes the wrong direction.
E. fortuitous = happening by chance or luck. The sentence doesn't address how the influence came about-only that it was strong and far-reaching.
F. negligible = insignificant. Like "peripheral," this reinforces the dismissal rather than contradicting it.