Question

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words that best fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
The novelist had ______ manner that could irk anyone; after all, no one likes ______.

• A. A humble … a genius
• B. A standoffish … a turn off
• C. A pompous … an egotist
• D. A supercilious … an optimist
• E. An aggressive … a braggart

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The given sentence is: "The novelist had ______ manner that could irk anyone; after all, no one likes ______."

We need to select the words that best fill in the blanks from the given options.

Let's analyze the options:

1. A humble … a genius: Using "humble" in the first blank implies modesty, which is unlikely to irk people. Similarly, "genius" does not inherently have a negative connotation that would justify "irk." Therefore, this option is incorrect.
2. A standoffish … a turn off: "Standoffish" implies being unfriendly, which might annoy people, and "a turn off" suggests something unpleasant. However, "a turn off" is a phrase rather than a noun, unlike in the second blank after the semi-colon, which suggests a singular noun. Therefore, this option is not the best fit.
3. A pompous … an egotist: "Pompous" describes a person who is self-important and arrogant, which can indeed irk others. "Egotist" is someone who is excessively conceited or absorbed in themselves, aligning with the notion that no one likes an egotist. This option fits well logically and grammatically.
4. A supercilious … an optimist: "Supercilious" describes someone who behaves as if they are superior to others, which can be bothersome. However, "an optimist" has a positive connotation and does not fit the context that suggests a negative trait nobody likes. Thus, this option is incorrect.
5. An aggressive … a braggart: "Aggressive" might irk people due to a confrontational tone, and "braggart" fits as no one typically likes someone who boasts. However, "pompous" and "egotist" better match the sentence's tone.

Conclusion: The correct answer is "A pompous … an egotist" as it logically and grammatically fits the context of the sentence, where the novelist's manner bothers people due to self-importance, a characteristic linked to being an egotist.