Can anyone help me analyze this? I could only understand the first blank which is a support with “as he adapts…realities”.
For rest of the passage, in blank 2, I don’t understand how piously goes with brandish and the contrast by “only to” as well as the main idea of the rest of the lines.
“Brandish” means to wield or to show off. In this sentence, it fits because the contrast set up by “He does not, however” implies the politician avoids merely showing off political principles without implementing them. We are looking for something like pretending for the second blank.
“Brandish” works because it implies a kind of hypocritical performance i.e pretending to uphold principles while betraying them in practice.
“Follow” doesn’t work because it lacks the contrast the sentence needs.
“Flout” means to openly defy, which contradicts the idea of pretending to value political principles, so it doesn’t fit either.
The sentence says the politician balances self-interest with something noble, tied to an “unchanging higher purpose.”
“Deeply felt moral code” fits because it contrasts with self interest and aligns with a guiding principle.
“Profound cynicism” contradicts the idea of a higher purpose.
Pragamaticsm means to be practical and in a way it is the same as self interest. It doesn’t fit here
Thanks. Can you please explain the following?
Is “only to” also acting as a contrast with “however”?
And how to relate “piously”= sincerely to brandish?
Can I solve the 2nd blank with previously referenced strategy with the word “them”?
sincerely pretending to uphold principles
“Only to betray” is contrasted by “however”
Not sure what you mean
Thanks for the explanation
I was asking whether we can solve blank 2 with Greg’s “previously referenced” TC strategy?
No, I don’t think so.