OE


The actor had some kind of behavior, but “unexpectedly” it “did little to ________ his reputation as a family man.” The first two blanks must contrast and should be selected together. If his behavior was “dissolute,” it was lax in morals, and thus surprising that it “did little to damage his reputation.” While negative, “impudent” (impertinent or disrespectful) behavior isn’t necessarily the same or the opposite of “family man” behavior. “Paternal” is exactly like fatherly, or “family man” behavior, so it would be unexpected only if “paternal behavior did little to help his reputation,” but no such meaning exists among the blank (ii) choices. “Assuage” means to make something less painful or severe, while “temper” means to neutralize or alleviate; both unjustly imply that “his reputation as a family man” is something unpleasant. The last blank is what “his exceptionally skilled team of publicists” did to his reputation: they “carefully cultivated,” or tried to develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill) his reputation. The team is “his,” so they shouldn’t work against his reputation, as both “cleverly subverted” (undermined) and “easily refuted” (discredited) would.