Read the sentence, looking for clues
There are "barred shadows" on an actor's "brightly lit" face, and the blank
describes the relationship of this effect to film noir, which has "high-contrast
visuals."
Predict an answer
Since light and shadows are themselves a contrast, a good prediction might be
"similar to."
Select the choice that most closely matches your
prediction
(B)
emblematic of, or "representative of,"
is the correct answer. (A) antithetical
to, or "in direct opposition to," and (C) incompatible with, are the opposite of this
prediction and so can be eliminated. If you weren't familiar with antithetical, the prefix anti- is a strong hint that it's a negative
word that means something like "opposes." (D)
boycotted is incorrect because a boycott is an organized refusal to conduct business with a
particular group. (E) dramatized might
be tempting because the word drama is
associated with actors and filmmaking. However, to dramatize means to present or adapt something in a theatrical
manner; contrast is a technique used in film noir, not something that movies in this
genre are fictionalizing.
Check your answer
The barred shadows on the actor's otherwise brightly lit face, cast by Venetian
blinds, created an effect emblematic
of film noir, a style of filmmaking marked by high-contrast
visuals.
TAKEAWAY: Prefixes can help you figure out the general meaning of unfamiliar
words.
