<p><span style="color:#27ae60;"><span style="font-size:20px;">The Right Answers</span></span></p>
<p><strong>Blank 1</strong>: Use <strong><span style="color:#8e44ad;">Math Strategy</span></strong> for this blank. The "but" after the word "English" indicates that the two ideas contrast each other. The second idea states that "Clark is never unclear," which is obviously positive. To contrast that idea, we can guess a word like "terrible" for blank 1.</p>
<p>The answer choice that most closely matches this guess is <span style="color:#27ae60;">defiant</span>. It's not a match with our guess "terrible," but <span style="color:#27ae60;">defiant </span>is really the only negative word of the three.</p>
<p><strong>Blank 2</strong>: Use the <strong><span style="color:#8e44ad;">Previously Referenced Strategy</span></strong> for this blank. The "this" in front of blank 2 lets us know that an idea from before the blank is being repeated. If we look before, we can see from blank 1 that Clark was a "defiant" speller. Repeating this idea, we can guess a phrase like "breaking of" for blank 2.</p>
<p>The answer that most closely matches this guess is <span style="color:#27ae60;">disregard for</span>.</p>
<p><span style="color:#e74c3c;"><span style="font-size:20px;">The Wrong Answers</span></span></p>
<p><strong>Blank 1</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="color:#e74c3c;">indefatigable</span>: This choice contradicts the logic of the sentence because "indefatigable" has a positive connotation.</li>
<li><span style="color:#e74c3c;">fastidious</span>: This choice contradicts the logic of the sentence for two reasons. First, the sentence clearly lets us know that Clark was NOT "fastidious," or careful, with his spelling. Second, it has a positive connotation.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Blank 2</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="color:#e74c3c;">partiality toward</span>: This choice <strong>contradicts</strong> the logic of the sentence. If Clark had a bias toward spelling, we would expect him to be good at it -- not bad.</li>
<li><span style="color:#e74c3c;">unpretentiousness about</span>: This is a pretty good trap answer. People who are not great at spelling do have a certain unpretentiousness about them. They are not obsessed with society's expectations. Unfortunately, this choice <strong>has no evidence</strong> in the sentence. We don't know about the pretension levels of Clark.</li>
</ul>