16Hit1600
Craft and StructureHardWords in context

Craft and Structure practice question

The novelist was famously ____; she reworked a single paragraph dozens of times, unwilling to publish a sentence until every word felt exact.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word?

  1. A. prolific
  2. B. meticulousCorrect
  3. C. spontaneous
  4. D. indifferent

Answer: B. meticulous

'Reworked a single paragraph dozens of times' and 'until every word felt exact' point to painstaking care — 'meticulous.' 'Prolific' means producing a great deal, which contradicts obsessing over one paragraph; 'spontaneous' and 'indifferent' clash with her careful revision.

Why the other answers are wrong

A. prolific
'Prolific' means producing a lot of work, but the evidence shows the opposite pace: dozens of revisions to a single paragraph before publishing anything.
C. spontaneous
'Spontaneous' contradicts reworking a paragraph dozens of times; the sentence describes deliberate, repeated revision.
D. indifferent
'Indifferent' means she wouldn't care, yet she refused to publish 'until every word felt exact' — that's intense care.

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