TC & SE Class recording question

GRE Verbal Problem Solving
1

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Can anyone explain please, how one can understand the two blanks will be opposite of each other?

2

blank (i) due to the phrase far from and blank (ii) is even more ____ than we had thought → bold was describing our blank(i)

3

Is math strategy applicable for For blank (i)? Or I have to just focus on the phrase?