In spite of the_____nature of Scotland’s terrain, its main roads are surprisingly free from severe___
A) rocky…weather
B) mountainous…grades
C) uncharted…flooding
D) unpredictable…damage
E) landlocked…slipperiness
why is option D wrong?
This is an unfair question to some etxent if you don’t have toporgarphy knowledge about this Scotland’s terrain. So the characteristic about a terrain coule be A,B. The second part of the sentence, “surprisingly” indicates a contrast; the second blank just resues the idea of the fisrt part. So we select two synonyms in this case. Only B stays after the filter.
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But how does option D get eliminated?
Travel can be unpredictable, but land cannot be unpredictable.
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unpredictable and damage are not necessary synonyms.
But isn’t ‘unpredictable terrain’ is a common phrase.
Ahh I understand now. Thank you!
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Yeah…actually you are right… it’s may be because of the synonyms… I thought it was usage but it was not.
Is mountainous synonym for grades? @sisi
It is a synonym is the sense that grades is like a slope which is expected in mountain. While attempting the question I didn’t know this meaning of grades 
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It’s the least expected synonym ever 
Truee, ets is at it again xD
is the right ans E ??? option E?
It’s B
Right, it’s definitely B.
I’m a native english speaker and knew grades fit best when paired with mountainous. It was the specific vs a generalization that sold me.
Grade is a landscaping term to describe slope (ie the hill’s grade was too steep to use a riding lawnmower without unnecessary risk). It fits perfectly when discussing the development and construction of roads through mountainous terrain.
But another tip off could have been found within the discussion of a road. Although an argument could be made that any country has unpredictable places for roads, I’d imagine they would have use a more famous place to cement the choice–like Mount Everest or the Andes Mountains.
Previous knowledge of Scotland was not necessary. I don’t think ETS is testing your geography but your nose to pick the more poignant pair.
Good luck!
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