Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: deservedly
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests your sensitivity to tone and appropriateness in choosing adverbs. The sentence speaks about environmental protection and management, a serious and important topic, and comments on the attention it is receiving. The missing adverb should express that this attention is justified and appropriate, rather than artificial, bitter, or vulgar.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The incomplete sentence is: "Environmental protection and management is ______ attracting a lot of attention these days."
We must choose an adverb that fits both the grammar and the positive tone of the sentence.
We assume a neutral, formal context discussing public policy or awareness.
Concept / Approach:
The word "deservedly" means "rightly" or "with good reason". Saying that something is "deservedly attracting a lot of attention" indicates that the attention is justified. This suits the topic of environmental protection, which clearly deserves serious focus. The other adverbs have negative, inappropriate, or irrelevant connotations that do not match the context or collocate well with "attracting attention" here.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the sentence is likely to carry a positive evaluation of growing attention to environmental issues.
Step 2: Substitute each option: "affectedly attracting", "deservedly attracting", "acridly attracting", "lewdly attracting".
Step 3: Notice that "deservedly attracting" is the only phrase that sounds natural and positive.
Step 4: Confirm that "deservedly" means "with justice" or "rightly", which fits the idea.
Step 5: Select Option B as the correct completion.
Verification / Alternative check:
Read the completed sentence: "Environmental protection and management is deservedly attracting a lot of attention these days." This clearly expresses that the topic is worthy of the attention it receives. If you used "affectedly" (artificially), it would imply that the attention is fake; "acridly" (bitterly) and "lewdly" (indecently) produce absurd or inappropriate meanings. This confirms that "deservedly" is the only suitable choice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, "affectedly", means artificially or in a pretentious manner, and would wrongly suggest that the attention is fake. Option C, "acridly", describes a bitter, sharp, or harsh manner, used more for smell, taste, or tone, and does not collocate with "attracting a lot of attention" in this context. Option D, "lewdly", refers to behaviour that is sexually indecent or vulgar, completely unsuited to the serious topic of environmental management. Therefore, these options do not match the sentence logically or stylistically.
Common Pitfalls:
An error some students make is to choose the most unfamiliar word, thinking that examiners always hide the answer behind difficult vocabulary. In reality, the best answer is the one that fits the tone and meaning of the sentence in context. Another trap is ignoring the positive nature of topics like environmental protection and picking a negative adverb that sounds fancy. To succeed, always consider whether the emotional colour of the word matches the situation described.
Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is "deservedly".
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