Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: analysis
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
The passage continues to describe War and Peace, this time focusing on its treatment of the inner lives of characters. The phrase in question is variety of psychological blank is generally regarded as one of the world greatest novels. The missing word must describe what kind of psychological quality the novel displays in detail. The question tests understanding of how critics talk about depiction of thoughts, motives, and feelings in fiction.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In literary studies, psychological analysis is a very common phrase that describes close examination of the characters minds, motives, and emotions. A long, detailed novel like War and Peace is famous for exactly this quality. We therefore look for a noun that naturally follows psychological and expresses a methodical study of inner life. The approach is to test each option and see which produces a familiar and meaningful expression that matches the praise being given.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Try psychological criticism. While literary criticism is a phrase, psychological criticism of itself refers to a school of criticism, not to features inside a novel.
Step 2: Try psychological analysis. This is a standard term for detailed study of mental processes and fits well with variety of.
Step 3: Try psychological instances. This sounds clumsy and does not indicate methodical study or insight.
Step 4: Try psychological depth. Depth is a quality, but variety of psychological depth is an odd combination of words.
Step 5: Try psychological experiments. This suggests scientific trials, not narrative treatment inside a novel.
Step 6: Conclude that analysis is clearly the most appropriate and idiomatic word.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can confirm our answer by recalling that many serious novels are praised for fine psychological analysis of their characters. The phrase variety of psychological analysis suggests that the author explores many different minds and situations in thoughtful ways. None of the other options is commonly used in this type of remark about a classic work of fiction. Thus the full clause noted for its mastery of realistic detail and variety of psychological analysis is a smooth and natural critical sentence.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Criticism: This would normally describe the activity of critics, not the content of a novel, and psychological criticism is a specific type of critical method, not what is being praised here. Instances: Sounds like scattered examples and does not highlight careful study or insight. Depth: A novel may have psychological depth, but the phrase variety of psychological depth is unnatural. Experiments: Suggests scientific or laboratory tests and clashes with the literary context. Therefore these options fail to convey the same idea as psychological analysis.
Common Pitfalls:
Some students might choose depth because they associate depth with serious treatment of character. However, they overlook the pattern variety of psychological blank, which strongly suggests a countable noun like analysis rather than an abstract quality like depth. Recognizing common patterns such as character analysis, psychological analysis, and social analysis helps avoid this mistake in cloze passages.
Final Answer:
The correct completion is analysis, giving the phrase variety of psychological analysis.
Discussion & Comments