Question

Though the scientist's theory was initially dismissed as absurd, it gradually gained ___ as more experimental data began ___ to its predictions.

• A. recognition, corroborate
• B. notoriety, oppose
• C. clarity, undermine
• D. irrelevance, validate

Hint:

Look for logical consistency across blanks. Both blanks should reflect the same tone and flow with the context of the sentence.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To address the problem, identify the option that best aligns with the sentence's meaning. The sentence describes a scientist's theory, initially disregarded, achieving greater acceptance as evidence validated its forecasts.

Let's examine the provided choices:

1. recognition, corroborate: This pairing is contextually sound. "Recognition" signifies acknowledgment or acceptance as more information emerges. "Corroborate" means to provide supporting evidence, fitting the scenario of experimental data confirming the theory's predictions.
2. notoriety, oppose: "Notoriety" implies being known for negative reasons, unsuitable for a theory gaining credibility. "Oppose" suggests data contradicting the theory, contrary to the sentence's intent.
3. clarity, undermine: "Clarity" implies becoming clearer, but "undermine" signifies weakening the theory, which is not the case.
4. irrelevance, validate: "Irrelevance" suggests a lack of importance, contradicting the idea of gaining acceptance. "Validate" means to confirm, but its combination with "irrelevance" is not fitting here.

The optimal choice, integrating seamlessly with the sentence's context, is "recognition, corroborate." The completed sentence reads: "Though the scientist's theory was initially dismissed as absurd, it gradually gained recognition as more experimental data began corroborate its predictions."