Explanation

This is a long statement which usually has 3 blanks. However, the first sentence is complete and as such could have some clue to put us on track.
Moreover, remember always to read the entire sentence to grasp the overall meaning; this is the best strategy you might follow because even if you spot a clue or more if you do not grasp the entire meaning you could miss one of the answers. A clue does not represent what is all about.

That said, what I do always is to split a sentence (if long like this one) into chunks and do a brief, 2 to five seconds, of brainstorming. Just a pinch

There has been much hand-wringing about how unprepared American students are for college.

Well, here there is not so much story to tell. Actually, the statement is conveying that there is a lot of talking about how much the American students are ill-prepared to attend college. Not so many clues til now.

Let see what the second sentence brings into the overall picture.

Graff reverses this perspective, suggesting that colleges are unprepared for students. In his analysis, the university culture is largely (i)_____entering students because academic culture fails to make connections to the kinds of arguments and cultural references that students grasp.

Graff, which could be an academic or a scientist or...it does not matter for our purpose, changed this perspective about the issue presented in the first statement. Ok. Hold on: here we do have a complete shift from the aforementioned statement. Keep in mind, we are going to cope with blanks that must address this shift.

The University culture largely dismisses (i) _______ because, in a nutshell, fails to create a connection with the students. I.E what we are arguing here is that after all are not the students ill-prepared and prone-off for the college but is the college that does not meet the student's criteria for creating a synergy from which both have benefits. Looking at the answer choices, we must bear in mind this scenario and pick the right choice accordingly

primed for primed for I do not know what it means. It reminds me of prime numbers or amazon prime. Nonetheless, something that gives me a premium feature. Out of scope. We must address the ideal picture that the University does not go towards students' necessities. Here there is nothing of prime.

opaque to this word is fairly simple: opaque is something that is not clear and blurry. Moreover notice the proposition to : to entering students. A perfect fit. Keep it for now.

essential for essential is something from which we cannot do without. However, here we are talking about, again, that the University does not give to the students what they looking for to improve their skill or culture as a whole. Nobody here is talking about an essential thing.
Therefore, the second blank must be the answer. Notice at the end of the sentence, also, an important clue: the students do not grasp what comes or is provided by the University. If the students do not grasp something maybe they are out of focus or maybe is the University that provides not so clear contents: opaque.

The last sentence is short but never far from the truth, you should be always on the lookout: a short sentence can be quite tricky because does not give you any clue or reference.

Understandably, many students view academic life as (ii)_____ritual.

This sentence sounds really like an overall conclusion. Many students view academic life as (ii) ____ ritual.

The whole idea of the entire sentence is quite clear. The University provides blurry contents that the students do not grasp, in brief. Therefore, they see all stuff related to this scenario difficult to see, mysterious, inscrutable, very difficult to interpret. In this fashion, the second blank must follow this line of reasoning.

an arcane I do not know what is this. Arcane remind me as the first thing the arc: a circle's arc; in Paris the Triumph Arc.......... I do not know move one.

a laudable laudable, if I do not recognize the meaning, it mimics the laude. I have a degree cum laude. The best a student could have after years of studies. Laude or laudable sounds like a prize but here we are searching for something that is blurry and difficult to size out. Not good. Cross off

a painstaking This word directly leads me to the painkiller when my lower back hurts. It is akin. Someone or something takes pain...painkiller. Again, the students do not understand.

Arcane must be the answer. Deal with. Done.

By the way, arcane means: just known only to a few. Mysterious.

B and D are the best options.

Why could not painstaking be the answer to the second blank?

Painstaking means diligent or scrupulous.

The tone of the question instead says this: the academic world fails to fit certain necessities of the college students. As such, all the process is arcane to them or blurry or not so very clear.

Hope this helps

Updated the entire explanation.

Regards

tnks for this !

Attached is a visual that should help.



Source: Vince and Brian's GRE PowerPrep Explanations

Regards,
Brian
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Fantastic explanation of GRE's arcane words

There has been much hand-wringing about how unprepared American students are for college. Graff reverses this perspective, suggesting that colleges are unprepared for students. In his analysis, the university culture is largely (i)_____entering students because academic culture fails to make connections to the kinds of arguments and cultural references that students grasp. Understandably, many students view academic life as (ii)_____ritual.

Since the academic culture fails to make connections to the kinds of arguments and cultural references that students grasp, university culture should be largely opaque to students entering it. The choice A primed for means ready, which the university is not, so we reject it. If it fails to make connections to students then how can it be essential for students? So we reject Choice C.

Since students cannot understand university culture, many students view academic life as an arcane ritual. The word arcane means understood by few; mysterious or secret.
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rx10

see my explanation here https://greprepclub.com/forum/there-has ... html#p6350

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