English Grammar - Sentence Completion: 14 MCQs with Answers

The sentence concedes that the rebuttal was eloquent but says it 'failed to ___ the central issue'. The natural completion is 'address', meaning to deal with or attend to a matter directly. The contrast signalled by 'though eloquent' demands a verb of genuine engagement, since the criticism is that fine words never actually tackled the point. 'Digress' means to wander from the subject. 'Circumvent' means to find a way around something, and 'elude' means to escape or evade; both describe what the rebuttal did rather than what it failed to do. Hence option one is correct.

The sentence requires a word that conveys the idea of an excessive degree that prevents something from happening, here that the correlation is not strong enough to influence policy. 'Too' is specifically used before an adjective to indicate an excessive degree that results in a negative or limiting consequence, matching perfectly with 'marginal to influence policy' meaning it was too weak to have an effect. 'Very' simply intensifies without implying a negative consequence, 'so' requires a 'that' clause to show result, and 'as' is used for comparison, not degree with consequence. Therefore, the grammatically and contextually correct word is 'too', making option 1 the correct answer.

The sentence presents a contrast between two facts: the argument being compelling (positive) and it being based on outdated data (a weakness), joined by a semicolon. 'Otherwise' is used to indicate an alternative condition or result, which does not fit here. 'Conversely' indicates a direct opposite comparison between two separate ideas, not a contrast within the same subject. 'Subsequently' indicates a time sequence, which is irrelevant here. 'Nevertheless' is the correct connector because it introduces a fact that contrasts with or qualifies the previous statement despite it, exactly capturing that the argument was compelling despite being based on outdated data. Therefore, the correct answer is option 3.

The sentence describes a discussion that, without timely intervention, could have deteriorated into a hostile deadlock (acrimonious stalemate). 'Evolved' means to develop gradually, usually in a positive or neutral sense, which does not match the negative direction implied here. 'Emerged' means to come into view or become apparent, which does not convey a decline in quality. 'Absorbed' means to take in, which is irrelevant to a discussion turning into a stalemate. 'Devolved' precisely means to decline or deteriorate into a worse state, matching the negative trajectory of the discussion collapsing into hostility. Therefore, the correct answer is option 2.