While not completely nonplussed by the unusually
caustic responses from members of the audience, the
speaker was nonetheless visibly ------- by their lively
criticism.
(A) humiliated
(B) discomfited
© deluded
(D) disgraced
(E) tantalized
Can you tell me how to solve this question? whats your thought process?
It says while not completely nonplussed, it means he was somehow nonplussed. So you just need to re-use the word nonplussed.
Discomfited is exactly a synonym for nonplussed.
You may also do it like this:
while is negative
not is negative
(-) x (-) salad = (+) salad
Got it. I had no idea discomfited and nonplussed are synonyms.