The government’s implementation of a new code of ethics appeared intended to shore up the ruling party’s standing with an increasingly _________ electorate at a time when the party is besieged by charges that it trades favors for campaign money.

A) aloof
B) placid
C) restive
D) skittish
E) tranquil
F) vociferous



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Sandy
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Read the sentence and look for contextual information.

The ruling party needs to build support from the _________ voters.
Unfortunately, there there isn't much contextual information provided to be certain of the "flavor" of the missing words.

For example, perhaps the voters are ANGRY (which would require the ruling party to shore up its standing)
Or perhaps the voters are UNDECIDED/UNCERTAIN (which would require the ruling party to shore up its standing)

So, among the answer choices, A, C, D and F are all legitimate answers.
At this point, we must remember the directions for all Sentence Equivalence questions: Select the two answer choices that, when used to complete the sentence, fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole and produce completed sentences that are alike in meaning.

So, for example, if it were the case that answer choice A (aloof) is correct, then we'd need a second word (among the answer choices) that is SYNONYMOUS with aloof.
Since there is no such similar word, we can ELIMINATE A

What about choice C (restive)? Is there a second answer choice that is SYNONYMOUS with restive?
YES! Answer choice D (skittish) is synonymous with restive.
So, C and D are great candidates.

What about choice F (vociferous)? Is there a second answer choice that is SYNONYMOUS with vociferous?
Since there is no such similar word, we can ELIMINATE F

Answer: C and D

Cheers,
Brent
_________________

Brent Hanneson – Creator of greenlighttestprep.com

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Answer is indeed C and D, the sentence lacks the adjectives aka more clues for the blanks however IF WE FOCUS ON THE CONTEXT C) restive
D) skittish are patent answers because the even when the sanctity of clues -- the government -aka the ruling party has being embroiled "by charges that it trades favors for campaign money". No doubt the electorate aka voters are bond to be (my word for the bank--- NERVOUS)

HENCE
C) restive
D) skittish