Question 3
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which graphically exposed the _______ of the indiscriminate use of pesticides, is widely credited with having _______ the modern environmental movement.
Correct answer: C
Explanation:
The word 'exposed', and the phrase 'indiscriminate use of pesticides', imply that the first missing word must be one which stands for something bad that is associated with the use of pesticides. So, the choices 'advantages' and 'benefits' can be ruled out first. Since the phrase 'deaths of the indiscriminate use of pesticides' does not make sense, the choice 'deaths' can also be ruled out, leaving 'hazards' {meaning 'risks') and dangers as the only possible choices for the first missing word. If the pair 'hazards., defused' is chosen, the sentence would mean that the exposure of the hazards of using pesticides defused (or weakened) the modern environmental movement, which is illogical. The pair 'dangers., inspired' completes a cogent and logical sentence.
The word 'exposed', and the phrase 'indiscriminate use of pesticides', imply that the first missing word must be one which stands for something bad that is associated with the use of pesticides. So, the choices 'advantages' and 'benefits' can be ruled out first. Since the phrase 'deaths of the indiscriminate use of pesticides' does not make sense, the choice 'deaths' can also be ruled out, leaving 'hazards' {meaning 'risks') and dangers as the only possible choices for the first missing word. If the pair 'hazards., defused' is chosen, the sentence would mean that the exposure of the hazards of using pesticides defused (or weakened) the modern environmental movement, which is illogical. The pair 'dangers., inspired' completes a cogent and logical sentence.