BigBook test 4 section 4 question 4

[hylee425]

Although Mount A has been more ____ during last 4,500 years than any other volcano in the coterminous United States, its long dormancy before its recent eruption ______ its violent nature.

The answer is explosive – belied.

I correctly answered the question. However, I am having a lot of trouble applying the math strategy here.

It seems that while the second blank contrasts with “violent nature,” the first blank has similar meaning of it.

How can I apply math strategy? The only thing I found was that the sentence after although contrasts with the sentence after comma.

[HoldMyBeer]

@hylee425

Although Mount A has been more ____ during last 4,500 years than any other volcano in the coterminous United States, its long dormancy before its recent eruption ______ its violent nature.

Although sets up a contrast with dormancy —> So, blank (i) is opposite of dormancy (I will even reuse violent for blank(i)).

Now, blank(ii) is support —> If volcano A is violent then what is long dormancy doing to its violent nature? → contradicting/hiding it