Question

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words that best fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Vain and prone to violence, Alexander could not handle success: the more his________ as an emperor increased, the more _________ his life became.

• A. Eminence … tumultuous
• B. Temperance … dispassionate
• C. Notoriety … providential
• D. Promotion … passionate
• E. Name … famous

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To solve this fill-in-the-blanks question, we need to identify the pair of words that best fit the context and meaning of the sentence. Let's analyze the given sentence and each option:

The sentence is: "Vain and prone to violence, Alexander could not handle success: the more his ________ as an emperor increased, the more _________ his life became."

Analysis of Options:

1. Eminence … tumultuous: Eminence means fame or recognized superiority, especially within a particular sphere or profession. Tumultuous implies being disorderly or chaotic. This option suggests that as Alexander's fame or recognition as an emperor grew, his life became more chaotic, which fits the context of him being vain and unable to handle success.
2. Temperance … dispassionate: Temperance refers to moderation or self-restraint, and dispassionate means not influenced by strong emotion. These words do not fit the narrative, as the sentence implies that Alexander's life became more chaotic, not moderate or unemotional.
3. Notoriety … providential: Notoriety means being famous or well known for some bad quality or deed, and providential means occurring at a favorable time or involving divine foresight. However, the sentence does not suggest Alexander's life was fortunate or divinely guided; rather, it worsened.
4. Promotion … passionate: Promotion implies advancing an agenda or position, while passionate describes intense emotions. Although promotion fits with increasing rank, passionate does not align with the idea of a negative or chaotic state as implied by "prone to violence."
5. Name … famous: Name here signifies reputation, and famous implies being well known. However, this option lacks the depth and nuance required to describe a worsening condition as his status increases.

Conclusion:

Option 1, Eminence … tumultuous, is the best fit for the sentence. It accurately captures the meaning and context of Alexander's increasing status and the consequent worsening of his life. "Eminence" aligns with the concept of growing as an emperor, and "tumultuous" describes the resulting chaos in his life due to his vanity and violence-prone nature.

Therefore, the correct answer is Eminence … tumultuous.