In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. At Ferney, Voltaire entered one of the most active (1) _____ of his life. Both patriarch and lord of the manor, he developed a modern estate, sharing in the movement of agricultural reform in which the aristocracy was interested at the time. He (2) _______ not be true to himself, however, without stirring up village feuds before the magistrates on a question of tithes, as well as about the beating of one of his workmen. He renovated the church and had Deo erexit Voltaire (3) ________ on the facade. At Easter Communion, 1762, he delivered a sermon on stealing and drunkenness and repeated this sacrilegious offence in the following year, flouting the prohibition by the bishop of Annecy, in whose jurisdiction Ferney lay. He meddled in Genevan politics, taking the side of the workers, and installed a stocking factory and watchworks on his estate in order to help them. He called for the liberation of serfs in the Jura but without success, though he did succeed in suppressing the customs barrier on the road between Gex in the Jura and Geneva, the natural outlet for the produce of Gex. Such generous interventions in local politics (4) _______ him enormous popularity. In 1777, he received a popular acclamation from the people of Ferney. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna halted the annexation of Ferney to Switzerland in his honour. His fame was now worldwide. ‘Innkeeper of Europe’—as he was called—he welcomed such literary figures as James Boswell, Giovanni Casanova, Edward Gibbon, the prince de Ligne, and the fashionable philosophers of Paris. He kept up an (5) ________ correspondence— with the philosophes, with his actresses and actors, and with those high in court circles, such as the duc de Richelieu (grandnephew of the cardinal de Richelieu), the duc de Choiseul, and Mme du Barry, Louis XV’s favourite. He renewed his correspondence with Frederick II and exchanged letters with Catherine II of Russia.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.
earned
Completing the Passage: Voltaire's Life at Ferney (Blank 4)
The question asks us to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 4 in the provided passage about Voltaire's life at Ferney.
Let's look at the sentence containing blank 4:
"Such generous interventions in local politics (4) _______ him enormous popularity."
We need a verb that describes the outcome of Voltaire's "generous interventions in local politics" in relation to his "enormous popularity". The options are "scored", "accumulated", "earned", and "netted".
Analyzing the Options for Blank 4
- scored: This word is often used in sports or games (scoring points) or sometimes for achieving a success ("scored a victory"). It doesn't typically fit naturally with gaining popularity as a direct result of actions like interventions.
- accumulated: This implies gathering something over time, often gradually, like wealth, evidence, or knowledge. While popularity can be accumulated, the phrasing "interventions... accumulated him popularity" is less common or natural than other options when referring to specific actions causing the popularity.
- earned: This verb means to gain something as a result of one's actions, efforts, or merit. Popularity, respect, trust, or a reputation are often 'earned' through specific deeds or behaviours. Voltaire's generous interventions are presented as actions that led to his popularity. This fits the meaning well.
- netted: This word often relates to gaining something, especially a profit or advantage, as a net result ("netted a profit"). It can also mean capturing something ("netted the fish"). It is not standard usage for gaining popularity from actions.
Determining the Most Appropriate Word
Considering the context – that Voltaire's specific "generous interventions" led to him having "enormous popularity" – the word that best describes this cause-and-effect relationship is "earned". His actions resulted in him gaining or earning the popularity.
Therefore, the most appropriate word to fill in blank 4 is "earned".
The sentence becomes: "Such generous interventions in local politics earned him enormous popularity."
Revision Table: Vocabulary Choices
| Word | Common Usage | Fit in Sentence? |
|---|---|---|
| scored | Points, victories, achievements | Poor fit |
| accumulated | Wealth, knowledge, evidence (implies gradual gathering) | Possible, but less direct link to specific actions |
| earned | Respect, trust, reputation, popularity (gained through actions/merit) | Best fit |
| netted | Profit, gain, capture | Poor fit |
Additional Information: Understanding Cloze Tests
Cloze tests assess your understanding of vocabulary, grammar, and context within a passage. To solve them effectively:
- Read the entire passage first to understand the overall meaning and tone.
- Read the sentence with the blank carefully.
- Look at the words immediately before and after the blank for grammatical clues (e.g., requiring a verb, noun, adjective, or adverb).
- Consider the meaning of the sentence and the options provided.
- Try fitting each option into the blank and see which one makes the most sense grammatically and contextually.
- Sometimes, eliminating incorrect options first helps you arrive at the correct answer.
In this case, understanding that actions like 'interventions' lead to gaining things like 'popularity' is key to selecting the verb 'earned'.
Important Questions from Cloze Test
What would come in blank space (1)?
What would come in blank space (2)?
What would come in blank space (3)?
What would come in blank space (4)?
What would come in blank space (5)?
