The philosopher endeavored to __________ the abstruse concepts during his lecture, though it proved arduous to __________ them without simplifying the intricate details.

(I) Elucidate
(II) Actuate
(III) Mandate

Which of the following options correctly fills the blanks?

Question

The philosopher endeavored to __________ the abstruse concepts during his lecture, though it proved arduous to __________ them without simplifying the intricate details.

(I) Elucidate
(II) Actuate
(III) Mandate

Which of the following options correctly fills the blanks?

Accepted Answer

**Solution:**

1. Analyze the sentence context:
   - The philosopher is trying to make "abstruse concepts" (which means difficult to understand) clearer during his lecture.
   - The first blank should be filled with a word meaning "to make clear or explain."

2. Check the meanings of the given words:
   - (I) *Elucidate*: To make something clear; explain.
   - (II) *Actuate*: To motivate or cause to act.
   - (III) *Mandate*: To give an official order or command.

3. Apply the meanings to the sentence:
   - "The philosopher endeavored to **elucidate** the abstruse concepts..." makes perfect sense.
   - "...though it proved arduous to **elucidate** them without simplifying..." fits logically as well.

4. The second blank is implied to be the same word as the first (elucidate) because the sentence structure suggests the difficulty in explaining without simplification.

5. The other options (actuate, mandate) do not fit the context:
   - "Actuate" means to motivate or trigger action, which is not suitable here.
   - "Mandate" means to order or command, which does not fit the context of explaining concepts.

**Answer:** Only (I)

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