Understanding the Passage and Filling the Blank

The provided passage is a reflection by an author on their early writing career and the process of developing their craft. The author describes writing several novels before feeling they had truly mastered their tools, citing 'Ethan Frome' as a turning point.

The task is to select the most appropriate word to fill blank number 2 in the passage.

Analyzing Blank No. 2 in the Passage

The sentence containing blank No. 2 is: "I wrote two or three novels without feeling that I had made (2) ______ progress."

This sentence expresses the author's sentiment about their level of improvement or advancement in writing after completing a few novels. We need a word that logically fits the idea of quantifying or describing the 'progress' made (or not made, as the sentence is negative).

Evaluating the Options for Blank No. 2

Let's examine the options provided for blank No. 2:

1. no sooner
2. barely
3. much
4. so

Now, let's consider how each option fits into the sentence:

• If we use "no sooner": "I wrote two or three novels without feeling that I had made no sooner progress." The phrase "no sooner" is used to indicate that something happens immediately after something else (e.g., "No sooner had I arrived than it started raining"). It does not make grammatical or contextual sense when placed before the noun "progress" in this structure.
• If we use "barely": "I wrote two or three novels without feeling that I had made barely progress." "Barely" means hardly or scarcely. While it conveys the idea of very little progress, the construction "made barely progress" is grammatically awkward and not standard English usage. "Barely" typically modifies verbs or adjectives (e.g., "barely moved", "barely visible").
• If we use "much": "I wrote two or three novels without feeling that I had made much progress." "Much" is a quantifier used with uncountable nouns (like "progress") to indicate a large amount. The phrase "made much progress" means made significant advancement. The sentence "without feeling that I had made much progress" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that one did not feel they had advanced significantly.
• If we use "so": "I wrote two or three novels without feeling that I had made so progress." "So" typically precedes an adjective or another quantifier (e.g., "so much progress", "so rapid progress", "so little progress"). Used alone before "progress" in this structure, it is grammatically incorrect.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Word

Comparing the options, "much" is the only word that fits grammatically and makes perfect sense in the context of the sentence. The author is stating that despite writing several novels, they did not feel they had achieved a significant amount of improvement or development in their writing skills.

Conclusion for Blank No. 2

Therefore, the most appropriate option to fill blank No. 2 is "much". The completed sentence reads: "I wrote two or three novels without feeling that I had made much progress."

Revision Table: Analyzing Sentence Completion Options

Additional Information: Common Phrases with "Progress"

"Progress" is an uncountable noun referring to movement forward or development. Here are some common phrases used with "progress":

• Make progress: To develop or move towards a goal. (e.g., "She is making good progress in her studies.")
• Much progress: A large amount of progress. (e.g., "We haven't made much progress on the project today.")
• Little progress: A small amount of progress. (e.g., "They made little progress due to the bad weather.")
• Slow progress: Progress that happens slowly. (e.g., "The negotiations are making slow progress.")
• Rapid progress: Progress that happens quickly. (e.g., "Technology is making rapid progress.")
• Significant progress: Noticeable and important progress.

The phrase "made much progress" is a standard construction, making "much" the natural fit in the original sentence, especially in the negative context provided by "without feeling that I had...".