In the passage about Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace", which adjective best completes the blank in the phrase "the _____ background of Russian social life during the war against Napoleon"?

Introduction / Context:
This question is based on a short passage about "War and Peace", the famous epic historical novel by Leo Tolstoy. Cloze test passages like this assess your ability to choose contextually appropriate vocabulary. The sentence describes how the novel presents Russian social life during the Napoleonic wars, and you must decide which word best describes the background that the novel provides. The choice has to fit both the meaning and the tone of literary criticism.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The passage discusses "War and Peace" as a detailed study of early nineteenth century Russian society.
• The sentence with the blank refers to "the _____ background of Russian social life during the war against Napoleon".
• The options are "soporific", "merciful", "vivid", and "hardened".
• We assume a neutral, evaluative tone commonly found in literary descriptions.

Concept / Approach:
The central idea is that the novel provides a rich, detailed, and lively picture of Russian social life. When critics praise a novel for realistic detail and psychological insight, they often describe its scenes and background as "vivid", meaning clear, lifelike, and striking. "Soporific" means causing sleep or boredom, which would be a negative comment and does not match the admiration implied in the passage. "Merciful" relates to kindness and forgiveness, usually applied to people or actions rather than to a background. "Hardened" suggests a tough or emotionally unfeeling quality, again more suited to people than to a literary background. Therefore, "vivid" is the only option that naturally and effectively describes the background created by a powerful novel.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the passage calls "War and Peace" a detailed study of Russian society, which implies richness and realism.Step 2: Focus on the blank phrase: "the _____ background of Russian social life during the war against Napoleon".Step 3: Consider the meaning of "vivid" as clear, lively, and full of life, which is exactly how a strong narrative background is often praised.Step 4: Check "soporific". This means sleep inducing or dull, which would contradict the generally admiring tone.Step 5: Check "merciful". This word describes behavior that shows mercy; it does not fit well as a description for the background of social life.Step 6: Check "hardened". This adjective usually characterizes people who have become tough or insensitive, and does not naturally match a narrative background.Step 7: Conclude that "vivid" best completes the sentence and fits both meaning and tone.

Verification / Alternative check:
Literary reviews frequently use "vivid" to praise a writer who paints clear pictures of settings and social environments. You might read phrases like "a vivid portrait of society" or "a vivid reconstruction of the period". In contrast, you almost never see "soporific background of social life" used positively. The passage also mentions psychological variety and realistic detail, which are hallmarks of vivid writing. Reading the full sentence with "vivid" inserted, it sounds smooth and natural: "The vivid background of Russian social life during the war against Napoleon." The other options make the sentence awkward or illogical when substituted into the same place.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Soporific" implies that the background sends readers to sleep, which would be a criticism, not praise. It clashes with the idea of the novel as a major achievement. "Merciful" refers to acts of mercy or kindness and is not normally used to describe a literary background or setting. "Hardened" is used for people or attitudes that have become tough, often in a negative sense, and again does not fit the idea of a richly drawn social background. None of these words aligns in meaning with realistic, detailed description, which is why they do not work in the sentence.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students may be tempted by "soporific" simply because it is a sophisticated word, or by "hardened" because war suggests toughness. However, vocabulary selection in context depends on semantic fit, not just associations. Another pitfall is ignoring the overall positive tone of the passage. When a text praises a novel as one of the greatest, negative adjectives are unlikely to be correct choices. Train yourself to read the surrounding sentences carefully and to judge whether the overall mood is positive, negative, or neutral before selecting vocabulary for blanks.

Final Answer:
The adjective that best completes the blank is vivid.