Instructions

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
If writers only dared to dare, a Suetonius or a Tacitus of the Novel could exist, for the Novel is (1) ______________ the history of manners, turned into a story and a play, as is History itself often enough. And there is no other (2) _____________ than this: that the one, the Novel, cloaks its manners (3) ______________ the disguise of invented characters, while the other, History, (4) _______________ names and addresses. Only, the Novel (5) ___________ much deeper than History.

Question 100

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 5.

Solution

We need to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank no. 5 in the passage.

The sentence reads: "Only, the Novel (5) ____________ much deeper than History."

Context Analysis:

The passage compares how the Novel and History represent human actions, manners, and life. The author highlights that while History records names and addresses, the Novel examines human nature and motives at a much more profound level.

Option Analysis:

bargains: Means to negotiate or make a deal, which does not fit the context of exploring human nature.

listens: Means to pay attention to sound, which does not fit contextually with "much deeper than History".

probes: Means to investigate, explore, or search into something deeply. The phrase "probes deeper" is a common and idiomatic expression that perfectly matches the context of analyzing life and human manners in depth.

imbibes: Means to drink or absorb ideas, which is grammatically and semantically incorrect when followed by "much deeper than History".

Therefore, probes is the correct choice.

Hence the correct option is C.

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