Why is the option for the first blank killed and not something like hindered?
The although represents a contrast. The ideas we’re contrasting are life and death. Simplified version would look like this: Although it nearly killed him, he survived. “Survive” would be the idea you’re trying to evoke through the first blank. Or not being killed in this case.
Note: “Never” negates the blank, so instead of saying he survived, you’re saying he didn’t die. Same meaning.
Hey Shrey thanks for replying. I get the contrast - I was just wondering about the extremes. As in he could be an opium addict but still function so although opium dominated his life, it never stopped him from living - that is what I mean by hindered - even though he took opium, he still managed to use it to write a story, it didn’t prevent him from writing. Is that not a contrast or am I venturing into a story?
Yeah, I get what you mean by hindered now. Tbh it does make sense, because never hindered does contrast with dominated his life. However, there’s a couple of thoughts running through my head:
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I focused on the word indeed here, once I read your question about “hindered”. Indeed is synonymous with not and not even, meaning that it conveys the same meaning but with stronger intensity (2nd definition). Eg: A lot of pizzas were unusually tasty and indeed cheap too. (Second point more surprising than the other).
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So if you put hindered it would make use of the second definition, which is emphasizing on a truth, Eg: Indeed, the pizza was costly.
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So how do you arrive at the answer? POE.
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There might be other grammaer stratergies that might have cogent explainations for this answer, but I’m not that good at grammar.
I don’t know if its convincing enough lol, but this is all the evidence I could find.