Discussion
Although the stock market has experienced strong (1) ________ in the past two years, there have been short periods in which the market has (2) ________ precipitously.
|
Blank 1 |
Blank 2 |
|
sluggishness |
fallen |
|
growth |
stabilized |
|
stagnation |
increased |
| (A) | development |
| (B) | ... |
| (C) | ... |
| (D) | ... |
| (E) | ... |
| (F) | ... |
The solution is
Posted: 07/06/2012 12:06
Why not strong stagnation an precipitous... increase? (The last word option from the right column.)
Posted: 07/18/2012 23:05
Nichalia, the word Although at the beginning of the sentence gives us a hint that the question is asking for the most opposite words, hence "growth" vs. "fallen". Stagnation is flat, so it's not as strong an opposite to "growth" or "fall", which has a positive or negative slope.
Posted: 09/02/2013 14:24
Wouldn't development also work in the first blank? It's meaning is synonymous with "growth".
Posted: 10/07/2013 17:56
"Development" is weaker than "growth". Growth is always leading to higher, larger outcomes. A development's outcome is usually positive, but sometimes it can be negative.