In this passage based vocabulary question, select the most appropriate word to complete the blank in the sentence Equally disappointing is the court's _____, one paragraph dismissal of the claim that criminal prosecution creates a chilling effect upon speech.

Introduction / Context:
This question comes from a passage based vocabulary exercise. You are asked to choose a word that best completes a sentence describing a court's one paragraph dismissal of an important claim. The overall tone of the passage is critical, suggesting that the court has not given the matter serious attention. Such questions test your ability to understand context, tone, and subtle differences between similar adjectives. You must pick the word that not only fits grammatically but also reflects the intended criticism of the court's approach.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The key part of the sentence is: Equally disappointing is the court's _____, one paragraph dismissal of the claim that criminal prosecution creates a chilling effect upon speech.
• The options are cursory, shortened, tiny, slight, and narrow.
• The context is legal and critical, with the author expressing disapproval of a brief and superficial dismissal.
• We assume the phrase one paragraph dismissal already conveys brevity, so the blank likely adds the idea of superficiality or lack of thoroughness.

Concept / Approach:
The crucial concept here is that certain adjectives not only comment on size but also on depth and quality. The word cursory is widely used to describe something that is done quickly and without proper attention to detail, such as a cursory glance or a cursory review. In the context of a court's discussion of an important legal issue, calling the dismissal cursory implies that the reasoning was shallow and rushed. Other words like tiny or shortened mainly indicate physical size or length, and they do not convey the same sense of superficial treatment.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine option a, cursory. This adjective means hasty and not thorough, often referring to a quick examination or treatment that lacks depth. It matches the critical tone of the sentence and fits logically before one paragraph dismissal. Step 2: Examine option b, shortened. This refers to something that has been made shorter in length or duration. While the dismissal is indeed short, the word shortened does not express the idea of poor or superficial reasoning. Step 3: Examine option c, tiny. This focuses purely on small physical size and is more informal; it does not fit well with serious legal commentary and fails to capture the idea of intellectual shallowness. Step 4: Examine option d, slight. This means small in degree or not serious. Although it could describe impact, it does not specifically convey the notion of hasty and incomplete analysis. Step 5: Examine option e, narrow. This usually describes limited scope or restricted perspective, not necessarily a hurried or superficial treatment of an issue. Step 6: Only cursory combines the idea of being brief with being insufficiently detailed, which precisely matches the criticism in the passage. Therefore, option a, cursory, is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative Check:
To verify, read the full sentence with cursory inserted: Equally disappointing is the court's cursory, one paragraph dismissal of the claim that criminal prosecution creates a chilling effect upon speech. This sounds natural and clearly expresses the author's disappointment in the lack of careful consideration. If we substitute shortened, tiny, slight, or narrow, the sentence either loses clarity or fails to convey the same critical tone. For instance, the court's tiny, one paragraph dismissal sounds odd in serious legal writing. Therefore, checking both meaning and register supports cursory as the best option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b, shortened, only suggests a reduction in length and does not comment on quality or depth of reasoning.
Option c, tiny, is informal and mainly refers to small physical size, making it unsuitable for a formal legal critique.
Option d, slight, suggests small in amount but does not carry the idea of haste or lack of thoroughness that the passage implies.
Option e, narrow, refers to limited scope or viewpoint but not necessarily to a quick, superficial dismissal.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to focus only on the idea of brevity and choose words like shortened or tiny without considering the tone of the passage. However, good reading comprehension requires noticing that the author is criticising not just the length, but also the superficial nature of the court's reasoning. Learners should build a strong vocabulary of adjectives like cursory, superficial, perfunctory, and sketchy, which are often used in critical commentary on analysis and reasoning.

Final Answer:
The word that best completes the sentence and matches the critical tone is cursory, so option a is correct.