16Hit1600
Craft and StructureVery hardWord for a decline in strength or quality

Craft and Structure practice question

Critics agree that the playwright's later work shows a marked ____: the wit is thinner, the plots more predictable, and the characters little more than mouthpieces.

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

  1. A. deteriorationCorrect
  2. B. refinement
  3. C. consistency
  4. D. ambition

Answer: A. deterioration

Thinner wit, predictable plots, flat characters: a falling-off.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. refinement
Refinement would mean improvement.
C. consistency
The text describes change, not sameness.
D. ambition
Nothing here is about the scale of what was attempted.

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