16Hit1600
Craft and StructureVery hardWord for a criticism made indirectly

Craft and Structure practice question

The review never says the play is bad; its criticism is ____, carried in faint praise and a pointed silence about the second act.

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

  1. A. obliqueCorrect
  2. B. blunt
  3. C. enthusiastic
  4. D. withdrawn

Answer: A. oblique

Faint praise and silence: indirect.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. blunt
Blunt is the opposite of indirect.
C. enthusiastic
It is criticism, not enthusiasm.
D. withdrawn
The criticism is present, only indirect.

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