Query about Question 4 from "(GRE Big Book) Test 5 Text Completion Problems (14)" [9751]

GRE GRE Verbal Problem Solving
1

https://www.gregmat.com/quizzes/quiz/gre-big-book-test-5-text-completion-problems-14 (Question 4)

Hi. Could someone walk me through the strategies for solving this problem? I don’t understand why the answer is “shrug off”. I tried using AI to help me, but it got the wrong alternative twice.

The problem:
Cynics believe that people who ------- compliments do so in order to be praised twice.

  1. bask in
  2. give out
  3. despair of
  4. gloat over
  5. shrug off

Thank you!

2

Cynics ( Negative ) believe that people who ________compliments do so in order ( Equal ) to be praised twice ( positive )

( - ) × Blank = Positive.

Hence, we need a negative answer.

3 and 5 fit.

However, because the people want to be praised twice, they “downplay” the first praise so they can be praised again according to cynics, aka, they “shrug off” compliments.