Question

The author’s writing style in the latest novel is ________, making it ________ for readers to fully engage with the story.

• A. convoluted
• B. eloquent
• C. verbose
• D. captivating
• E. cumbersome
• F. engaging

Hint:

When the sentence shows a cause and effect, match the tone of the first blank to the consequence in the second blank.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A,

This sentence describes the author’s writing style and its effect on readers’ engagement, suggesting a negative impact.
First blank (describing writing style):
- The word should indicate a style that is difficult to follow or complicated, since the result is that readers struggle to engage fully.
- “Convoluted” ((A) means complex and difficult to understand, fitting perfectly here.
- “Verbose” ((C) could also mean wordy, but it doesn’t necessarily imply difficulty in understanding as strongly as “convoluted.” - Positive words like “eloquent” ((B) would contradict the difficulty suggested in the second blank.

Second blank (describing effect on readers):
- The phrase “making it ________ for readers” suggests the word should indicate something that hinders engagement or makes it harder.
- “Cumbersome” (E) means awkward or difficult to handle, which fits the idea that readers find it hard to engage.
- “Captivating” ((D) or “engaging” (F) are positive and contradict the difficulty implied.

Why other Option don’t fit:
- “Eloquent” and “engaging” are positive, inconsistent with the negative consequence in the sentence.
- “Verbose” implies wordiness but doesn’t fully capture the difficulty or complexity implied by “convoluted.”
- “Captivating” is a positive effect, opposite to what the sentence implies.
Summary:
- The author’s style is convoluted, meaning it is complex and difficult to follow.
- This results in the novel being cumbersome for readers, making it challenging to fully engage with the story.

Together, these words explain the struggle readers might face due to the writing style.