“We lived in a culture that denied any merit to literary works, considering…
2017
“We lived in a culture that denied any merit to literary works, considering them important only when they were handmaidens to something seemingly more urgent – namely ideology. This was a country where all gestures, even the most private, were interpreted in political terms.”
The author’s belief that ideology is not as important as literature is revealed by the word:
- A.
‘culture’
- B.
‘seemingly’
- C.
‘urgent’
- D.
‘political’
Attempted by 58 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Answer: 'seemingly'.
Explanation: The word 'seemingly' means 'appearing to be' and signals that the greater urgency of ideology is only apparent. The author uses this word to imply skepticism about ideology's claimed superiority over literature.
How this shows the author's view: 'seemingly' weakens the claim that ideology is genuinely more important; it marks that the priority is only on the surface.
Why the other words are incorrect:
The word 'culture' simply names the social setting and does not express the author's attitude about ideology versus literature.
The word 'urgent' describes how ideology was portrayed but does not itself indicate the author's skepticism about that portrayal.
The word 'political' refers to the interpretation of gestures, not to a comparison of importance between ideology and literature.
Takeaway: Look for words that express the author's stance (doubt, sarcasm, qualification). 'Seemingly' is a qualifier that signals the author's disbelief in the stated priority of ideology.
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