Can someone explain why the first blank is uncanny? To me, the usage of the word implies something being unsettling and unnatural which is really not the case here. The comparison the author makes is very straightforward.
Superficial fits better to me because the argument can be interpreted as surface level. The author is making his conclusion based on the type of main character and plot. I consider that quite cursory or superficial. Of course, the comparison can also be a deeper one, but I don’t think its clear here. Either way, I think it stands up stronger as an answer than uncanny and is the best answer here.
You are correct about the definitions of the words and there is sense in how you explain your choice, but going strictly off what is provided in the text, there is actually more evidence for choosing canny than superficial.
Using Math Strategy
Note the colon, used to indicate support. Whatever is after the colon must be in agreement with the first blank, and the focus is on the similarities between the two works (“in both”, “and”) and will be negative (“leaves little to the imagination”).
If the question’s author wanted us to choose superficial, we would expect to see some mention of how unimportant these similarities are, but we don’t get that. Lacking any indication to disregard these similarities, we must assume that there is some degree of significance to these similarities, hence choosing uncanny.
