Loading question...
You are in free guest mode. Timed Practice Revision List Attempt History Progress Tracking Create a free account to unlock these tools
Prev Next
Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #51189 Roman Arena
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
The  Romans  glorified  the    shown  in  the  arena,  but    the  events  and  degraded  the  participants.  Mosaic  pictures  of  executions  and  combats,    violent  to  our  eyes,  were  displayed  in  the  public  rooms  and  even  dining  rooms  in  the  homes  of  wealthy  Romans.  How  can  the  viewer  today  possibly  understand  such  images?  Until  fairly  recently,  modern  authors  writing  about  the  arena  minimized  its  significance  and    the  institutionalized  violence  as  a  sideline  to  Roman  history.  The    was  also  to  view  the  events  through  our  own  eyes  and  to  see  them  as  pitiful  or  horrifying,  although  to  most  Romans  empathy  with  victims  of  the  arena  was  inconceivable.  In  the  past  few  decades,  however,  scholars  have  started  to  analyze  the  complex  motivations  for  deadly  public  entertainments  and  for  contradictory  views  of  gladiators  as  despised,  yet  beloved  hero-slaves.

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct answer: bravery

Explanation: The word 'bravery' fits grammatically as a noun that describes the quality being glorified by the Romans. It aligns contextually with the admiration for the courage displayed in the arena, making it the most suitable choice.

Meaning: 'Bravery' refers to the quality of being courageous and willing to face danger, which is relevant to the context of gladiatorial combat.

Wrong options:

  • chivalry: Chivalry refers to the medieval knightly system and code of conduct, which does not directly relate to the context of Roman gladiators.
  • gravesite: Gravesite refers to a burial place, which is unrelated to the admiration of qualities shown in the arena.
  • bravado: Bravado implies a show of boldness or confidence, but it does not convey the genuine quality of courage that 'bravery' does.
Correct answer: trivialized

Explanation: The word 'trivialized' correctly conveys the action of making something seem less important than it is, fitting grammatically and contextually with the degradation of events and participants in the arena.

Meaning: 'Trivialized' means to make something appear trivial or insignificant, which aligns with the context of diminishing the seriousness of the events.

Wrong options:

  • cut: 'Cut' does not fit contextually as it implies a physical action rather than a conceptual one related to the significance of events.
  • made: 'Made' is too vague and does not convey the specific action of diminishing importance that 'trivialized' does.
  • broke: 'Broke' implies a physical action or disruption, which does not align with the context of degrading events.
Correct answer: graphically

Explanation: The word 'graphically' fits well as it describes the vivid and explicit nature of the violent images, aligning grammatically and contextually with the description of the mosaics.

Meaning: 'Graphically' means in a vivid or explicit manner, particularly in a way that is clear and detailed, which is appropriate for describing violent imagery.

Wrong options:

  • freshly: 'Freshly' implies something new or recently made, which does not relate to the depiction of violence in the mosaics.
  • novelty: 'Novelty' refers to the quality of being new or unusual, which does not accurately describe the nature of the violent images.
  • verbosely: 'Verbally' refers to using words, which does not apply to the visual nature of mosaics.
Correct answer: represented

Explanation: The word 'represented' fits grammatically as a past tense verb that indicates how modern authors depicted the violence, aligning contextually with the discussion of historical narratives.

Meaning: 'Represented' means to depict or portray something, which is relevant to how authors have characterized the violence in Roman history.

Wrong options:

  • convicted: 'Convicted' refers to a legal judgment of guilt, which does not fit the context of discussing historical representation.
  • prescribed: 'Prescribed' implies a recommendation or rule, which does not align with the context of depicting violence.
  • excluded: 'Excluded' means to leave out, which contradicts the idea of representing or including the violence in historical narratives.
Correct answer: tendency

Explanation: The word 'tendency' fits grammatically as a noun that describes a general inclination or trend, aligning contextually with the way events were viewed through a particular lens.

Meaning: 'Tendency' refers to an inclination or a habitual way of thinking, which is relevant to how events were perceived by the Romans.

Wrong options:

  • implication: 'Implication' refers to a suggestion or consequence, which does not fit the context of describing a general inclination.
  • trend: 'Trend' is similar but does not convey the habitual aspect that 'tendency' does in this context.
  • tend: 'Tend' is a verb and does not fit grammatically as a noun in this context.

The rest of this explanation is for members. Sign in free to read why the other options are wrong, key words and tips.

Sign in to read the full explanation

With a free account: Retry and compare every attempt.
How difficult was this question?
Others found: 0% Easy · 100% Medium · 0% Hard
Saving...