Choose the one word that best substitutes the phrase "involving or showing violence and bloodshed".

Introduction / Context:
This one word substitution question asks you to replace the phrase "involving or showing violence and bloodshed" with a single adjective. Such words are commonly used in film reviews, crime reports, and descriptions of battles. Recognising the precise descriptive term helps you understand and summarise texts more efficiently.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The phrase to be replaced is "involving or showing violence and bloodshed". The options are:

• inundate
• gory
• sanguine
• imbrue

We must pick the option that naturally describes scenes full of blood and violence.

Concept / Approach:
The adjective "gory" is the standard English word for something that is full of bloodshed or gruesome details, especially in films, stories, or real events. The other options are either verbs or adjectives with very different meanings. Exams often include "sanguine" as a trap because its Latin root relates to blood, but its modern meaning has shifted to "optimistic" or "cheerful".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that "gory" describes scenes with a lot of blood and violent detail, as in "a gory horror movie". Step 2: Examine "inundate": this is a verb meaning to flood or overwhelm, often used metaphorically ("inundated with work"), not about bloodshed. Step 3: Look at "sanguine": although it comes from a root related to blood, in modern English it mainly means "cheerfully optimistic". Step 4: Check "imbrue": this verb means to stain or soak, especially with blood, but it is not an adjective and does not directly substitute for the whole phrase. Step 5: Conclude that "gory" is the only option that is an adjective whose core meaning directly matches the phrase.

Verification / Alternative check:
Try using each word in a sample sentence:

• "The movie was very gory; many viewers had to look away during the battle scenes." This clearly refers to graphic bloodshed.
• "The movie was very inundate" is grammatically wrong and meaningless.
• "The movie was very sanguine" would suggest it was optimistic, not violent.
• "The movie was very imbrue" is wrong because "imbrue" is a verb, not an adjective.

Only "gory" fits both the grammar and the meaning of the description.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• inundate: Verb meaning to flood or overwhelm; unrelated to bloodshed.
• sanguine: Adjective meaning optimistic or hopeful; despite its etymology, it does not describe violence.
• imbrue: Verb meaning to stain or soak with liquid (often blood); it cannot substitute directly for an adjectival phrase and is not the intended answer.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners familiar with Latin roots may mistakenly associate "sanguine" with blood because of "sanguinary" (which actually means bloodthirsty). Exam setters use this to mislead you. Always focus on the modern, commonly used meaning rather than ancient roots. Also pay attention to part of speech; an adjective phrase should generally be replaced by an adjective, not a verb.

Final Answer:
The correct one word substitute is gory.