Question

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blanks.
The exhibit of the South African men in Boston began with a cacophony of animal __________ made by the 'savages' while out of sight. The troupe then __________ onto the stage, barely __________ in skins and feathers and clutching spears and clubs, and __________ to perform several native songs and dances.

• A. sounds, leaped, clad, proceeded
• B. echoes, slipped, visible, exalted
• C. sights, slipped, garbed, pretended
• D. snouts, stepped, clad, halted

Hint:

In multiple-blank questions, you can often find the correct answer by focusing on just one blank. For example, in this question, 'cacophony of animal sights/snouts' is incorrect, immediately eliminating options (C) and (D).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to fill four blanks with the most appropriate set of words from the given options to create a coherent and grammatically correct passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the context for each blank and test the options:


Blank 1: "a cacophony of animal __________". 'Cacophony' means a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. Therefore, the word 'sounds' is a perfect fit. 'Echoes' is plausible, but 'sights' and 'snouts' are incorrect as they do not relate to sound.
Blank 2: "The troupe then __________ onto the stage". This describes the action of entering the stage for a performance. 'Leaped' suggests a dynamic and energetic entrance, which fits the theatrical context. 'Slipped' or 'stepped' are less impactful.
Blank 3: "barely __________ in skins and feathers". This describes their clothing. 'Clad' means clothed or dressed, so "barely clad" means barely dressed, which fits the description. 'Garbed' is similar, but 'clad' is more common in this phrase. 'Visible' makes no sense.
Blank 4: "and __________ to perform". This describes the beginning of their performance. 'Proceeded' means to begin or continue a course of action. "Proceeded to perform" is a standard and correct construction. 'Exalted', 'pretended', or 'halted' do not fit the context.
Based on this analysis, the set of words in option (A) 'sounds, leaped, clad, proceeded' fits all the blanks perfectly, creating a logical and vivid description.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (A) as all the words in the set are contextually and grammatically appropriate.