16Hit1600
Craft and StructureMediumAdjective fixed by inconsistency

Craft and Structure practice question

The fines seemed ____: identical offences drew wildly different penalties depending on which officer happened to write the ticket.

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

  1. A. arbitraryCorrect
  2. B. consistent
  3. C. lenient
  4. D. unavoidable

Answer: A. arbitrary

Penalties that vary by chance rather than by any rule are 'arbitrary'.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. consistent
'Consistent' is exactly what the colon shows the fines were NOT.
C. lenient
'Lenient' means mild; the sentence is about variation, not mildness.
D. unavoidable
'Unavoidable' doesn't describe fines that depend on who writes them.

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