Read the sentence, looking for clues
While there are no major roadsigns to look out for, the first sentence defines the
word that should be in the blank. 'Extolling the importance of personal thrift'
means that Franklin believes "thrift" is a "virtue", or a good thing.
Predict the answers
Use the clue directly from the sentence and predict "thrift" for the first
blank. The second sentence provides another defining phrase, "high value on
benevolence," but this time the word "vice" requires a prediction that is the
opposite of "benevolence." A good prediction is "stingy."
Select the answer choices that most closely match
your predictions
(C)
frugal is defined as "being careful in
how money is spent," which perfectly aligns with the prediction. (A) wealthy means "having lots of money," and,
while a wealthy person could be thrifty, they certainly do not mean the same thing.
(B) stingy, which means "not generous,"
has a far too negative tone to match the clues.
(E)
uncharitable matches the prediction. The
prefix "un-" gives it the opposite meaning of (D) charitable, which means "generous." (F) impoverished means "poor" and does not fit the
context of this blank.
Check your answers
Benjamin Franklin, who dispensed advice under the pen name Poor Richard, famously
extolled the importance of personal thrift, avowing that it is a virtue to be (i)
frugal. Franklin, who likewise
placed high value on benevolence, would likely have considered it a vice to be (ii)
uncharitable.
TAKEAWAY: Read carefully to avoid applying an answer choice to the wrong blank.
This is the especially the case for two-blank Text Completions where the blanks have
opposite meanings.
