Verbal 3 blanker wirh 2 possibilities for 2nd blank

In the below question, I went for the 3rd blank first. So its a suport to the second half of the sentence “extraneous” , leading to option “peripheral”. The first word - “ByContrast”, in this sentence indicates that the previous idea is contrasting to this one . So, both the blanks must be something positive. Blank 1 has only one positive option of “bolster” making it the obvious choice. Blank 2 has one netural to positive option D, and one positive option E. So I chose E. But the book says its D. I am a little confused

Accept > Acknowledge

Your assessment is a little off

E is more neutral, D is more positive

How so? Accept is like accepting to oneself and kinda silent agreement na? Acknowledge has more of a public or open connotation?

Accept and acknowledge have no inherent public or private connotations

To accept something you first have to recognize it, then welcome/embrace (fit in any synonym here)

To acknowledge something is to recognize it. Nothing further.

The question gives more context to distinguish them further.

Uncritically accept - to accept without question >>>> positive

Appropriately acknowledge - a neutral qualifier to a neutral to positive verb

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Got it. Thank you