GRE General TestVerbal ReasoningHard
A literary critic argued that the author's latest novel, while praised for its intricate plot and vivid characterizations, ultimately suffered from a certain ______; its narrative voice, though distinctive, often felt detached and emotionally distant from the events it described.
- Averisimilitude
- Bimpartiality
- Cpathos
- Drhetoric
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. pathos
The critic praises plot and character but then points out a flaw: the narrative voice felt 'detached and emotionally distant.' This suggests a lack of emotional appeal or ability to evoke feeling. 'Pathos' (the quality that evokes pity or sadness) is the best fit, as its absence would lead to emotional distance.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 'Verisimilitude' means the appearance of being true or real, which is not directly related to emotional distance in narrative voice.
- B. 'Impartiality' means treating all rivals or disputants equally; fairness. While 'detached' might suggest impartiality, the context emphasizes emotional distance as a negative, not a neutral quality.
- D. 'Rhetoric' is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, which doesn't directly address the emotional distance of the narrative voice.
Implied Deficiency
When a sentence describes a negative characteristic or outcome, implying the absence of a particular positive quality.
- The blank often describes the missing positive quality.
- Requires careful analysis of the negative descriptors used in the sentence.
- Often involves abstract nouns that represent desired literary or artistic qualities.
Memory trick: Missing pieces hint at what's not there, a void the right word must repair.