Moore was (i) _______ ill-at-ease. His (ii) _______ had always been a distinguishing feature. It was what made him a good con artist and a good informant. He was one of those men who accepted dares with an easygoing smile and did outrageous things with (iii) ______ that made him successful in the dangerous world in which he operated. But just now he was not feeling very sure of himself.
The sentence fragment:
It was what made him a good con artist and a good informant. He was one of those men
who accepted dares with an easygoing smile and did outrageous things with (iii) ______ that
made him successful in the dangerous world in which he operated
especially the blue highlights ensure that the word for the second blank is
aplomb.
The word aplomb refers to self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
The same blue highlights suggest that he did outrageous things with coolness or fearlessness. Clearly
a sophisticated fearlessness should be the right choice.
But now, if has ill-at-ease, then that would be not his normal characteristic, and hence
uncharacteristically is the right choice for the first blank.
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