Because the copy editor was so ______, she checked every citation in the manuscript twice before approving it.
- Ameticulous
- Bnegligent
- Chasty
- Dindifferent
- Esporadic
Text completion: match the evidence, not the vibe
Try it before you scroll. Two minutes on the clock, then commit to an answer.
Correct answer: A
The sentence gives you direct evidence after the comma: checking every citation twice. The blank must describe a person who does exactly that.
- (A) meticulous means showing extreme care about details. Double-checking citations is the definition of meticulous behavior. Correct.
- (B) negligent is the opposite: careless, failing to check.
- (C) hasty contradicts the evidence; a hasty editor checks once, quickly, or not at all.
- (D) indifferent means having no particular interest, which clashes with the extra verification pass.
- (E) sporadic means occurring at irregular intervals; checking every citation twice is systematic, not sporadic.
The opening word “Because” is the hinge: it announces that the first half must be consistent with the second half. When a sentence is built on cause and effect, your job is to find the choice that makes the cause produce the stated effect. Here only meticulous produces double-checking.
Strategy note: on text completion, predict your own word before reading the choices. “Careful” or “thorough” would be the natural prediction here, and meticulous is the closest match.