Can anyone tell me why my reasoning is wrong? I chose C and F. I chose C because the reviews have to be defensive/subtle/biased as they defend values and hope that when ‘weaknesses/assumptions’ are pointed out the author might secretly agree on improvements.
The correct answer is B and E.
hortatory means encouraging/exhorting therefore a hortatory book review means a favorable review. I am not sure where you got these synonyms from
Since it is a support, the 2 ideas should have the same connotation. If you pick option F and take it to mean weaknesses - a negative connotation (btw, I think assumptions is a somewhat neutral word here) then idea 1 must also be negative but a hortatory review is a positive one.
so C and F doesn’t work
B and E work because they both have a negative connotation.
An overly simplified version of the sentence will be,
When an adverse (unfavorable -ve) review is given, it is with the hope that the author will agree that he/she made transgressions (offense -ve).
