Question 128·Medium·Words in Context
Although film critics initially dismissed the director's latest release as opaque, audiences found its message surprisingly ______, resonating with viewers of diverse backgrounds.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For Words-in-Context questions, always read the whole sentence and look for signal words like "although," "but," or "because" that show relationships between ideas. Paraphrase what the sentence is really saying in your own words, especially around the blank, and decide whether the missing word should be positive or negative, similar or opposite to another word. Then test each answer by meaning first (not by how fancy it sounds), quickly eliminate any that don’t match the sentence’s logic or tone, and reread the sentence with your final choice to make sure it fits smoothly.
Hints
Use the contrast signal word
Focus on the word "Although" at the start. It tells you the second part of the sentence should contrast with the first part. How should audiences’ view of the film be different from critics’ view?
Pay attention to the word "opaque"
Critics called the film "opaque." Think about what that word usually means in this context. The blank should describe almost the opposite quality in the film’s message.
Use the phrase after the comma
Look at the clause "resonating with viewers of diverse backgrounds." What must be true about a message if it connects with many different kinds of people?
Test each option in the sentence
Read the sentence with each answer choice. Which one makes the most sense with the idea that many different people understood and connected with the message?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure and contrast
The key word is "Although", which sets up a contrast between two ideas:
- Film critics: "dismissed the director's latest release as opaque" (hard to understand, not clear).
- Audiences: "found its message surprisingly ______, resonating with viewers of diverse backgrounds."
So whatever goes in the blank should contrast with "opaque."
Infer what the blank must mean
If critics thought the film was opaque, but audiences connected with its message and it "resonated with viewers of diverse backgrounds," then the message must have been easy to understand and relate to, even for many different kinds of people.
So the blank needs a word that describes a message that is clear and easy for lots of people to grasp.
Check each answer choice against the sentence meaning
Go through the options and see which meaning matches the needed idea:
- latent: hidden, not yet visible or developed.
- erratic: unpredictable, inconsistent.
- ambiguous: unclear, could have more than one meaning.
- accessible: (in a general sense) easy to approach, understand, or use.
Ask: Which of these best fits a message that many different people could understand and connect with, as described in the sentence?
Choose the word that best matches the context
A message that "resonated with viewers of diverse backgrounds" must be easy to understand and relate to, which matches "accessible" (easy to understand or appreciate).
The other choices all suggest something hidden, unclear, or unpredictable, which does not fit with many people connecting to the message.
Therefore, the correct answer is D) accessible.