Though usually ______, Anita Hasnandani's neighbor's cat was quite ______ when…

Concept: In a two-blank sentence-completion question, first find the logic signal word (such as though, but, despite, similarly) linking the two blanks. A contrast signal word like "though" means the two blanks must express opposite ideas; each option's two words must also land in the correct order to match which blank is which.

Application: "Though" signals that the cat's usual temperament (first blank) is the opposite of how she acts "when it came to defending... her territory" (second blank). The extra clue "she would often win the fights she started" confirms the second blank must mean quick to fight, so by contrast the first blank must mean calm.

Cross-check: comparing every option by the words themselves shows only one pair gives a calm word first and a fighting word second, in that order:

• "antagonistic ... placatory" reverses the order -- antagonistic (hostile) comes before placatory (appeasing), the opposite of calm-then-combative.

• "cantankerous ... belligerent" gives no contrast at all -- both words describe hostility.

• "serene ... amicable" gives no contrast either -- both words describe calmness, with nothing matching "the fights she started."

• "aggressive ... pacifistic" also reverses the order -- the combative word comes first and the calm word second.

• "peaceful ... pugnacious" is the only pair with a calm word first (peaceful) and a fighting word second (pugnacious), matching the sentence's contrast in the correct order.

Result: the correct pair is peaceful ... pugnacious.