GRE Verbal Problem Solving Big book doubt

[user1636]

1. 
   Here I filled in the blank with most. But the correct answer is alternative. Please explain this and why is most incorrect

2. 
   Here I understand that blank 1 is positive because finds merit in. But blank 2 is confusing me. Should connotation be negative because of the word ‘otherwise’

Here I did guess the 1 st blank correctly as homogeneity and the second blank something similar to developed. How is differentiated fitting correctly in the second blank. Isnt differentiated and variety the same thing. So how can we say differentiated into variety

[ganesh]

@user1636

Here I filled in the blank with most. But the correct answer is alternative. Please explain this and why is most incorrect

Please see this thread: Gre big book test 1 section 1 question 4

@user1636

• Here I understand that blank 1 is positive because finds merit in. But blank 2 is confusing me. Should connotation be negative because of the word ‘otherwise’

Yeah, it should contrast “find merit”.
Connotation would tell you its something negative.
Semantics would tell you its something like “unmerited”

@user1636

Here I did guess the 1 st blank correctly as homogeneity and the second blank something similar to developed. How is differentiated fitting correctly in the second blank. Isnt differentiated and variety the same thing. So how can we say differentiated into variety

Here , we have [simplicity and homogeneity] _____ [variety]

These two clearly contrast so the blank itself needs to be a contrast word. “differentiated” implies a change which creates a contrast.

“differentiated” is a verb here, not a noun like “variety”.