Read the sentence, looking for clues
The blank is followed by a short phrase beginning with "even"; this indicates that
this phrase-"even aberrant"-is continuing and intensifying the meaning of the word
that precedes it.
Predict an answer
So, look for a negatively charged word that has a meaning similar to and less
extreme than "aberrant" (deviating from the norm).
Select the choice that most closely matches your
prediction
(E) eccentric means "departing from convention"; since it is a less
extreme version of "aberrant", it is therefore the correct answer. (A) intrepid, meaning "fearless," has a positive
charge, and therefore is not correct. (B) volatile, or "inconstant", does not match the prediction. (C)
inflexible, or "incapable of
change", does not work in the
sentence's context; the women described by the sentence seem to want to change. (D)
blameworthy has the requisite
negative word charge, but its meaning is not similar to "aberrant"; it's too
general.
Check your answer
In the early part of the twentieth century, women who desired to pursue
professional careers rather than work as homemakers were regarded as eccentric, even aberrant.
TAKEAWAY: Sometimes, predicting just the word charge isn't enough; a generally
negative word isn't correct if there's support for a more specific meaning.
