Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option. Sentence: Paradoxically,…
2019
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option.
Sentence:
Paradoxically, the very admonitions intended to reform the prodigal served only to ______ his wicked ways.
- A.
reinforce
- B.
distress him about
- C.
turn him from
- D.
transform
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Correct answer: A
Answer: reinforce
Why this fits: The adverb "paradoxically" indicates that the result was the opposite of what was intended. "Serve only to reinforce his wicked ways" means the admonitions ended up strengthening or confirming the bad behavior, which matches the ironic idea.
Why the phrase "turn him from his wicked ways" is incorrect here: That phrase would mean the admonitions successfully reformed him, which contradicts the sentence’s suggestion of an opposite effect.
Why "distress him about" is incorrect: It implies causing emotional upset rather than increasing the behavior, and is awkward without explicitly adding the object. It does not convey the unintended strengthening of the behavior.
Why "transform" is incorrect: The verb sounds unnatural with "wicked ways" in this context and does not clearly express the ironic outcome that the admonitions made the behavior worse.
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