Understanding the Passage and Blank 1

The passage describes the reaction to the news that Tenzing and Hillary had successfully climbed Mount Everest. The first blank asks about the nature of the reactions evoked by this news. The following sentence provides a crucial clue: "Somehow, there was a sense of disappointment...". This indicates that the reactions were not uniformly positive or purely celebratory. Therefore, we need a word that can describe reactions that might be varied, complex, or notable in some way, potentially including conflicting feelings.

Analyzing Options for Blank 1

Let's examine each option to see which one best fits the context of the passage, particularly considering the mention of disappointment that follows.

• interesting: This word suggests that the reactions were noteworthy or caught attention, perhaps because they were varied or included unexpected elements like disappointment alongside excitement. This fits well with the idea that the news evoked different kinds of responses.
• inspired: This means feeling mentally stimulated or motivated to do something. While climbing Everest is inspiring, saying the news evoked "inspired reactions" implies that everyone felt motivated. The passage explicitly mentions disappointment, which contradicts a purely "inspired" reaction.
• intruding: This means entering a place or situation without permission or welcome. "Intruding reactions" is not a grammatically correct or contextually meaningful phrase. Reactions themselves do not intrude.
• intimate: This means closely personal or private. While reactions are personal, describing public or widespread reactions to a major event as simply "intimate" doesn't capture the public impact and potential complexity suggested by the text. "Interesting" is a better fit for describing the overall nature of the responses evoked by significant news.

Choosing the Most Appropriate Word

Considering the fact that the news evoked both excitement (implied by the achievement itself) and disappointment (explicitly stated), the word that best describes such a mix or range of responses is "interesting". The reactions were interesting because they weren't just one simple feeling; they included contrasting elements.

Explanation of the Correct Choice

The news of conquering Mount Everest was a monumental event, and it's natural that such news would evoke different kinds of reactions from people worldwide. Saying the news evoked "interesting reactions" acknowledges that these responses were notable and perhaps varied. The mention of disappointment immediately after reinforces that the reactions were not straightforward, making "interesting" a fitting descriptor for such a complex emotional landscape.

Therefore, the most appropriate option for blank number 1 is interesting.

Revision Table: Key Vocabulary

Additional Information: Analyzing Reactions

When considering how news of a significant event is received, it's important to think about the diverse perspectives people might have. Reactions can be influenced by many factors, including cultural background, personal beliefs, and previous knowledge of the situation.

• Public reactions to major achievements often involve a mix of emotions.
• Excitement and pride are common, but sometimes there can be feelings of loss, disappointment, or concern.
• In the case of Mount Everest, while conquering it was a human triumph, some might have felt sad about the idea of a wild, unconquered place being "tamed" or "spoiled."
• Using a neutral but descriptive word like "interesting" allows for this complexity in describing the overall public response.

Understanding the subtle differences between words like "interesting," "inspired," and "intimate" is key to choosing the most appropriate word in a fill-in-the-blank question like this.