The answers are C, F and H. “Strategic” provides the necessary contrast with “ideological”. Notice the presence of “rather than” in the sentence, indicating that a contrast is necessary. In the second sentence we need a contrast with betraying principles. Following principles gives us this. The “higher purpose” links with the “deeply felt moral code” in the third sentence. The “moral code” also provides the necessary contrast with the “self-interest”. This contrast is necessary because of the word “balance”.
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The answer to the second blank is misprinted as D instead of F (follow).

What is the actual answer? Follow or Brandish- for the second blank?

The OAs are correct as they are.

C,D ( brandish ), and H.

Regards

Explanation please why brandish works and why follow doesn't work

Because if you use follow then you CANNOT betray the same principles.

So, he brandishes those same principles and then in practice does not follow them.

Hope this helps.

Regards

wow, an ah-ha moment from your explanation! thanks carcass

The answer is C-F-H.

When choosing between BRANDISH & FLOUT, FLOUT works better here, as you can see from the context.

Brandish means: wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.

Flout means: openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention).

LOOKING AT THE QUESTION CONTEXT:



There is no indication in the context that the politician has any cause to harbor or show anger or excitement. Rather, he's just doing the OPPOSITE of BETRAYING POLITICAL PRINCIPLES. Also, he operates IN SUBTLE WAYS TO BALANCE HIS POLITICAL SELF-INTEREST. So, brandish is too drastic a contrast to the way the politician operates.

F is wrong.

Follow is already implied in what the politician is doing. However, he brandishes his credo just for a strategic final purpose but as it turns out he does not follow scrupulously

D is the official answer.

Regards

C and H are correct as per the context. My guess for the second blank for some negative word which is not as extreme as flout. So, brandish means (threaten) fits here.
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Explanation

Since the politician is portrayed as adapting political positions to political realities, blank (i) should be filled with “strategic,” which is also the only choice that provides the required contrast with “ideological.” The second blank, brandishing political principles is what a politician might do piously, while flouting is not pious and following principles does not make sense when combined with “betray[ing] them in practice.” The third blank requires something that would have to be balanced against “political self-interest” and that would be embraced in service of an “unchanging higher purpose,” making “deeply felt moral code” the only viable choice.

Thus, the correct answer is strategic (Choice C), brandish (Choice D), and deeply felt moral code (Choice H).
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Clearly, this is a text completion that the ETS writers would have to throw out.

But if this is an official question ??

why not C, F and G?

please read the official explanation provided by @huda above. If it is still unclear, then reply here.
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Its a tough one. specially in regards to the second blank

He does not, however in the sentence indicates what?
Means he does?

for the first blank why doesn't "self-righteous" work?

The most striking thing about the politician is how often his politics have been (i)__________ rather than ideological, as he adapts his political positions at any particular moment to the political realities that constrain him. He does not, however, piously (ii)__________ political principles only to betray them in practice. Rather, he attempts in subtle ways to balance his political self-interest with a (iii) __________, viewing himself as an instrument of some unchanging higher purpose.

Lets do this one sentence at a time.

The most striking thing about the politician is how often his politics have been (i)__________ rather than ideological, as he adapts his political positions at any particular moment to the political realities that constrain him.

The words "rather than" indicate a comparison which pits the word for the blank against the word "ideological", indirectly suggesting an opposition between the two. The only word that fulfills that criteria is strategic. The word self-righteous, which means having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior, is not opposed in sense to "ideological" and is therefore irrelevant. And quixotic meaning extremely idealistic and impractical is the exact opposite of the word we are looking for.

The word strategic means relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them.

The phrases "adapts his political positions" and "political realities that constrain him" further point to strategic as the best choice. The words "adapts" and "constrain" point in this direction eminently.


The next sentence

He does not, however, piously (ii)__________ political principles only to betray them in practice

The phrase "only to betray them in practice" implies he piously propounded political principles, or expounded political principles. The only word that fits that meaning is brandish, which means to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner, in this context. We can easily eliminate follow because he cannot follow the political principles and betray them at the same time. To flout is to disregard a rule, law or convention, and if he was already flouting the political principles, it does not make sense to say he betrayed them once again.

The last sentence

Rather, he attempts in subtle ways to balance his political self-interest with a (iii) __________, viewing himself as an instrument of some unchanging higher purpose.

The word "balance" suggests that we need the opposite of political self-interest. We can eliminate thoroughgoing pragmatism as it smacks of well, pragmatism and the opposite of political self-interest would be something idealistic. The choice profound cynicism does not suggest the opposite of self-interest. So we reject it as well. We are left with deeply felt moral code which is an ideal an hence not mere self-interest. Therefore, it is the correct choice.

You can also arrive at it in a different way. The first sentence suggests that he is a practical person rather than an ideologically motivated person. The second sentence, however, tells us that his practicality does not mean he will spout ideals but betray those in practice. In other words, he respects ideals even though he is practical. Therefore, in the third sentence, we should look for a balance between practicality (political self-interest) and some ideal (deeply felt moral code).

Also the phrase "viewing himself as an instrument of some unchanging higher purpose." indicates deeply felt moral code as the best choice.

Hope that clarifies.
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