Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: entirely
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question checks your sense of meaning and tone in sentence completion. The sentence discusses private companies and how they produce new varieties and inputs. The missing adverb must logically describe the extent to which these products result from the companies' own research. The word chosen should fit both grammatically and semantically with the phrase "as a result of their own research".
Given Data / Assumptions:
The incomplete sentence is: "Private companies do not produce new varieties and inputs ______ as a result of their own research."
We must select the adverb that makes the sentence meaningful and natural.
We assume a context of economics, business, or agricultural policy discussion.
Concept / Approach:
The structure "do not ... entirely as a result of" is common when we want to say something is not produced completely or wholly by one cause alone. The adverb "entirely" expresses the idea of totality or completeness. This fits the contrast created by "do not produce". The sentence then suggests that other factors, like public research or imported technology, may also play a role. The other options do not convey this logical meaning.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Notice that the sentence is negative: "do not produce".
Step 2: Look for an adverb that combines naturally with "as a result of their own research".
Step 3: Try substituting each option: "sincerely as a result", "purportedly as a result", "entirely as a result", "abjectly as a result".
Step 4: Observe that "entirely as a result" is the only phrase that sounds natural and conveys a clear idea of degree.
Step 5: Select Option C, "entirely", as the correct completion.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, read the full sentence with the answer: "Private companies do not produce new varieties and inputs entirely as a result of their own research." This implies that their products are based partly on their own research and partly on other sources. This is a meaningful, realistic statement. The other options either distort the sense or sound unnatural in this position, confirming that "entirely" is right.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, "sincerely", describes an attitude or manner, not the extent of causation; "sincerely as a result" does not make sense. Option B, "purportedly", means "supposedly" or "as claimed", and would introduce a different kind of doubt about truth, not degree; it does not fit smoothly after "do not produce". Option D, "abjectly", means completely miserable or degraded and is normally used with conditions like "abject poverty", not with "as a result of research". Thus, none of these alternatives fits the sentence logically or idiomatically.
Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes focus only on whether a word is difficult or uncommon and choose it for that reason, but the best answer is the one that naturally collocates with the surrounding phrase. Another pitfall is ignoring the negative "do not" and picking a word based solely on its positive meaning. When solving such questions, always read the entire sentence aloud in your mind with each option and choose the word that makes the sentence coherent and realistic in context.
Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is "entirely".
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