Question:

Directions: Replace the number with the word(s) that best fit(s) the meaning of the passage as a whole. Choose the best option for the blank marked (48).
It is _____ (46) to read a book about our planet by an author who does not allow facts to be _____ (47) by politics: well aware of the political disputes about the effects of human activities on climate and biodiversity, this author does not permit them to _____ (48) his comprehensive description of what we know about our biosphere. He emphasizes the enormous gaps in our knowledge, the _____ (49) of our observations, and the _____ (50) of our theories, calling attention to the many aspects of planetary evolution that must be better understood before we can accurately diagnose the condition of our planet.

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The author is guarding his factual description against a harmful effect of political disputes, so the missing verb should describe something negative, not something that strengthens or clarifies the writing.
Updated On: Jul 20, 2026
  • Analyse
  • Garble
  • Obscure
  • Enhance
  • Underscore
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: The sentence says the author, though aware of political disputes, does not permit "them" (the disputes) to [blank] his comprehensive description of the biosphere.
Step 2: Since the disputes are described as something the author actively resists, the missing verb must describe a harmful effect that political disputes could have on a clear, factual description.
Step 3: Evaluate the options. "Enhance" and "Underscore" both describe a positive or strengthening effect, which does not fit, since the author is guarding against something, not welcoming it. "Analyse" does not make sense here, since disputes do not "analyse" a description, that is not something political disputes do. "Garble" means to distort a message so it becomes confused, which is possible but is a slightly unusual collocation with a full, comprehensive account. "Obscure" means to make something unclear or hide it from view, which fits naturally with the idea of political noise clouding a clear, factual description.
Step 4: The most natural and precise fit for what the author prevents political disputes from doing to his description is to make it unclear, that is, to obscure it.
Answer: (c) Obscure
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