Question

Perhaps because scientists have been so intrigued by dogs' superior senses of smell and hearing, researchers have long --- their eyesight, assuming that they inhabit a drab, black-and-white world, devoid of color.

• A. studied
• B. coveted
• C. appreciated
• D. resented
• E. underestimated

Hint:

Look for clues in the latter part of the sentence that define or explain the missing word. Here, the assumption of a "drab, black-and-white world" is a direct result of the action in the blank, pointing clearly to "underestimated."

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This sentence completion question describes a cause-and-effect relationship. The cause is scientists' fascination with dogs' smell and hearing. The effect is how they have treated the study of dogs' eyesight. The blank must describe this effect.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
1. Identify the cause: Scientists were "intrigued by dogs' superior senses of smell and hearing."
2. Identify the consequence or assumption: Researchers assumed dogs live in a "drab, black-and-white world."
3. The blank must be a verb that logically connects the cause to this assumption. If scientists focused on other senses and made a negative assumption about eyesight, they likely neglected or undervalued it.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The sentence suggests that the intense focus on smell and hearing led to a neglect or misjudgment of the sense of sight.
- Option (E), "underestimated," fits perfectly. Because researchers were so impressed with other senses, they paid less attention to eyesight and wrongly assumed it was poor.
- Option (A), "studied," is too neutral. While they did study it, the context implies they did so with a flawed perspective, which "underestimated" captures more precisely.
- Options (B), "coveted" (to desire), and (D), "resented" (to feel bitterness at), are emotions that do not fit the scientific context described.
- Option (C), "appreciated," is the opposite of what the sentence implies. The assumption of a "drab, black-and-white world" shows a lack of appreciation.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The word "underestimated" correctly describes how the researchers' focus on other senses led them to undervalue and misjudge dogs' eyesight.