BigBook test 8 + homework

[user1454]

Hello, I have some questions:

First, I will review my questions from Bigbook Test 8

1. I completed question 6 in section 1 correctly, but I am uncertain about the second blank, which appears to be positive. I understand that the use of “;” and “and” suggests the second blank is supported by the positive adjective “pioneering,” indicating it should be positive. However, the phrase “at once,” particularly when the preceding sentences highlight both a negative “first blank” and positive “praise,” might imply that “at once” allows for both positive and negative interpretations simultaneously. Given that “pioneering” is positive, should the second blank then be interpreted as negative? However, Greg mentioned that it is positive.
   

   

2. Why should the second blank in question 6, section 5, be “decreasing”?
   

   

3. In question 7 of section 5, I am unable to grasp the overall context and its meaning. Could you explain it from the beginning?
   

   

4.I’m struggling with a Session 12 homework exercise. Could you clarify the context and explain why “boredom” is the best fit?

[user1454]

Hello,
Could anyone assist me with these questions?

[Joan]

@user1454

Why should the second blank in question 6, section 5, be “decreasing”?

There are 2 incomplete ideas here
Idea 1 - Population goes up necessitates ______ on vegetable food
Idea 2 - Population goes ________ more meat

Thus indicates that these 2 ideas must support each other. Here, meat and vegetables are kinda treated as contrasts. For the first blank, all the options point towards “more” dependence on vegetables. So, for the second blank, we are looking to support that

Idea 1 → Population increases, (reliance on) vegetable increases
Idea 2 → Population ____, (reliance on) vegetable decreases (more meat)

When will we have lesser reliance on vegetables? When population goes down. Now it makes sense to pick option D

[Joan]

@user1454

.I’m struggling with a Session 12 homework exercise. Could you clarify the context and explain why “boredom” is the best fit?

The context here is Richard wants to be creative (or innovative) and he believes that true innovation only comes from languor (inactivity). In other words, if he has nothing else to do or bored he might get some creative ideas or something, so he deliberately makes attempts to stay bored.

[user1454]

Hello,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Could you kindly assist me with questions 1 and 3 that I mentioned above as well?

[Joan]

@user1454

In question 7 of section 5, I am unable to grasp the overall context and its meaning. Could you explain it from the beginning?

Ethologists are animal behavioural scientists. In this specific instance, ethologists’ opinions on animal learning are discussed. Ethologist think

1. Animals learn, and that’s one of the reasons they can survive
2. This “learning” is deeply ingrained in their genetics (most instinctive)

What we can infer from this is that learning in animals is not random, they follow a pattern influenced by their genetic programming

Option E is the right one because

1. dictated by suggests that learning is strongly influenced by genetic programming which aligns with the sentence.

2. Stereotyped means fixed or repetitive, which fits because the sentence suggests learned behaviors are as ingrained as instinctive ones.

[Joan]

@user1454

I completed question 6 in section 1 correctly, but I am uncertain about the second blank, which appears to be positive. I understand that the use of “;” and “and” suggests the second blank is supported by the positive adjective “pioneering,” indicating it should be positive. However, the phrase “at once,” particularly when the preceding sentences highlight both a negative “first blank” and positive “praise,” might imply that “at once” allows for both positive and negative interpretations simultaneously. Given that “pioneering” is positive, should the second blank then be interpreted as negative? However, Greg mentioned that it is positive.

You are correct to question the significance of the phrase “at once”, but it has nothing to do with the first blank but everything to do with “pioneering”. So your interpretation that the second blank could also be negative is incorrect.

At once introduces a contrast between pioneering and second blank. We are looking for something that complements pioneering while offering a contrasting nuance.

Unexceptionable is the best fit because it means not open to objection but not particularly new or exciting, so this introduces the contrast we are looking for while being positive (widely acceptable is positive; nothing new is contrast)

[user1454]

Hi,
So it uses a positive word to contrast with “pioneering.” Since contrasts usually pair positive and negative words, it was confusing to contrast two positive words. Could you provide any advice on simplifying the process of identifying contrasts?