Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1The proposal is intellectually elegant and politically ambitious; ..............., it leaves the funding mechanism worryingly vague.
Wrong!
"That said" introduces a concession after the positive evaluation.
2The committee may have acted in good faith; ..............., its failure to consult the affected communities undermines the legitimacy of the decision.
Wrong!
"Be that as it may" concedes the previous point before returning to the main criticism.
3The report is exhaustive in scope and meticulous in its documentation; ..............., its central recommendation is surprisingly timid.
Wrong!
"For all that" means despite the positive points just mentioned.
4............... the data measure household income rather than individual wealth, the conclusion should be treated as provisional.
Wrong!
"Insofar as" limits the conclusion to the specific point about what the data measure.
5The scheme is legally questionable; ..............., it is unlikely to deliver the savings its supporters advertise.
Wrong!
"What is more" adds a further reason for criticism.
6The study has methodological limitations, but its sample is unusually large and its findings are consistent with earlier research; ..............., it deserves serious attention.
Wrong!
"On balance" gives an overall judgment after weighing strengths and weaknesses.
7The new evidence does not weaken the prosecution's case; ..............., it makes the original timeline more plausible.
Wrong!
"If anything" rejects the expected idea and suggests that the opposite is more likely.
8The policy has attracted not merely isolated complaints but sustained criticism from across the political spectrum; ..............., several of its original advocates now describe it as unworkable.
Wrong!
"Indeed" reinforces the previous claim with a stronger supporting example.
9A tax cut may stimulate demand in a recession; ..............., the same measure may intensify inflationary pressure when the economy is already overheating.
Wrong!
"Conversely" introduces an opposite effect in a different situation.
10............... the panel's reservations about cost, the board approved the project on the grounds of long-term strategic value.
Wrong!
"Notwithstanding" means despite and introduces the reservations that did not stop the approval.
11The witness could identify the process but not the individual who authorised it; ..............., the testimony establishes how the decision was made, not who made it.
Wrong!
"In other words" restates the previous idea more clearly.
12The critique is severe; ..............., the authors acknowledge most of these limitations in a detailed appendix.
Wrong!
"To be fair" introduces a balancing comment that gives the authors credit.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- The proposal is intellectually elegant and politically ambitious; that said, it leaves the funding mechanism worryingly vague.
- The committee may have acted in good faith; be that as it may, its failure to consult the affected communities undermines the legitimacy of the decision.
- The report is exhaustive in scope and meticulous in its documentation; for all that, its central recommendation is surprisingly timid.
- Insofar as the data measure household income rather than individual wealth, the conclusion should be treated as provisional.
- The scheme is legally questionable; what is more, it is unlikely to deliver the savings its supporters advertise.
- The study has methodological limitations, but its sample is unusually large and its findings are consistent with earlier research; on balance, it deserves serious attention.
- The new evidence does not weaken the prosecution’s case; if anything, it makes the original timeline more plausible.
- The policy has attracted not merely isolated complaints but sustained criticism from across the political spectrum; indeed, several of its original advocates now describe it as unworkable.
- A tax cut may stimulate demand in a recession; conversely, the same measure may intensify inflationary pressure when the economy is already overheating.
- Notwithstanding the panel’s reservations about cost, the board approved the project on the grounds of long-term strategic value.
- The witness could identify the process but not the individual who authorised it; in other words, the testimony establishes how the decision was made, not who made it.
- The critique is severe; to be fair, the authors acknowledge most of these limitations in a detailed appendix.
