16Hit1600
Craft and StructureEasy–MediumVerb fixed by what follows

Craft and Structure practice question

The new evidence did not settle the question; if anything, it ____ the mystery by ruling out the most likely explanation.

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

  1. A. deepenedCorrect
  2. B. resolved
  3. C. ignored
  4. D. summarised

Answer: A. deepened

'Did not settle' and 'if anything' point to the opposite of settling: ruling out the best explanation made the mystery greater — it 'deepened' it.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. resolved
'Resolved' is what the sentence says did NOT happen.
C. ignored
Evidence that rules out an explanation is engaging with the mystery, not ignoring it.
D. summarised
'Summarised' has nothing to do with ruling out explanations.

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