Your question is missing the instructions and the options. I've found the complete question online. It is as follows:
Read the following sentence, selecting the most appropriate word from the given choices to fill the gap. His preparations for the Olympic Games had been very thorough. He had been training
intrinsically
ostensibly
systematically
predominantly
for months.
Answer:
The best way to complete the sentence is with "systematically".
Explanation:
First, let's see what each adverb means:
intrinsically -- essentially; naturally.
ostensibly -- apparently; seemingly.
systematically -- methodically; completely; detailedly.
predominantly -- mostly; mainly; chiefly.
Now, let's use a little bit of logic. As we all know, an athlete who prepares to compete at the Olympic Games does so completely. He/she trains constantly, absolutely focused, for months, sometimes even years. They have a systematic training, that is, they practice in a methodical, fixed, disciplined manner. Therefore, the best option is "systematically".
- His preparations for the Olympic Games had been very thorough. He had been training systematically for months.
A placebo
Explanation:
A placebo is anything that seems to be a "real" medical treatment -- but isn't. It could be a pill, a shot, or some other type of "fake" treatment. What all placebos have in common is that they do not contain an active substance meant to affect health.
