Question 116·Medium·Words in Context
Contrary to many of her colleagues, climate scientist Dr. Liang argued that minor volcanic eruptions could, over decades, measurably cool global temperatures—an idea that was initially ______ by the broader scientific community but has since gained empirical support.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For Words-in-Context questions, first ignore the answer choices and use context clues—especially contrast words like "but" or "however"—to predict the type of word needed (positive/negative, accepted/rejected, etc.). Then, test each choice by plugging it back into the sentence and asking: (1) Does it match the meaning implied by the surrounding phrases? (2) Does it preserve the intended contrast or cause-and-effect relationship? Eliminate choices that fit only part of the sentence or that break the logical flow, and choose the one that fits both meaning and tone most precisely.
Hints
Use the contrast in the sentence
Focus on the phrase "but has since gained empirical support." What does this tell you about how the idea was viewed before it had that support?
Determine the tone of the initial reaction
Ask yourself: Was the idea originally treated positively, neutrally, or negatively by the broader scientific community?
Match the meaning, not just a familiar word
Read the whole sentence with each option. Which word makes the most sense for how an idea would be treated at first if it later turns out to be supported by evidence?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure and contrast
Notice the key contrast words and phrases:
- "Contrary to many of her colleagues" (she disagreed with them)
- "but has since gained empirical support" (now there is evidence backing her idea)
This tells you that at first the scientific community reacted one way, and later evidence made them take the idea more seriously.
Infer the initial reaction from the later change
If an idea later gains empirical (evidence-based) support, that implies it was not widely accepted or respected at the beginning. Wrіttеn by Anіко
So the blank must describe an initial negative or skeptical reaction from the broader scientific community toward her idea.
Check what kind of word is needed: tone and direction
Because this is a contrast sentence ("but has since"), the word in the blank should be almost the opposite of "gained empirical support."
So we are looking for a word describing the idea as not believed, rejected, or not taken seriously at first, in contrast to being supported later.
Evaluate each answer choice against the context
Now match each option to the meaning the sentence needs:
- A word that means the idea was rejected or not taken seriously at first will fit.
- Words that mean it was honored, confirmed, or made uniform will not fit, because they do not create a contrast with “but has since gained empirical support.”
Among the options, "dismissed" (choice A) is the one that means the idea was initially rejected or not accepted, so A) dismissed is the correct answer.