Blank (i) Blank (ii) Blank (iii)
(A) atavistic (D) avert (G) malady
(B) remote (E) rescind (H) proliferation
(C) proximate (F) protract (I) buttressing

proximate, avert, proliferation

y not avert in second blank

Hey ragini,

The word 'avert' would mean to avoid, or to look away. Because subjects place "a lower value on events in the distant future" even at the expense of "future detriments," we can assume that people would place a higher value on events closer (or proximate) to them. Therefore, the tendency would be to 'protract' or elongate the present pleasure, even at the risk of a 'proliferation' of "future detriments."

In future discounting, subjects place a lower value on events in the distant fu­ture than on (i) _________ ones, explaining the common tendency to (ii) _________ present pleasures even at the expense of a likely (iii) __________ of future detriments.

Let us look at this sentence:

subjects place a lower value on events in the distant fu­ture than on (i) _________ ones

The word than implies a relative comparison, and in this context, the required word is the opposite of distant, and hence we can complete the sentence as:

In future discounting, subjects place a lower value on events in the distant fu­ture than on (i) nearer ones.

Hence the word is proximate.

The rest of the sentence continues to explain the same idea and hence we can complete it as follows:

explaining the common tendency to (ii) enjoy present pleasures even at the expense of a likely (iii) increase in future detriments.

Therefore, the words from the choice list are protract and proliferation.