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Sentence :

Perhaps the policy prohibiting background checks was to blame for the fact that the police force, usually staffed by men of high moral values, had been infiltrated by so many__________ .

Options :

a) enigmas

b) gentries

c) reprobates

d) rogues

e) vassals

f) bromides

What are those two words?

What I think is that : A policy is prohibiting background checks because police men had been infiltrated by ____ . Since, the policy is trying to prohibit or prevent background checking (which means they find that they don't need to check further background) because those men which police encountered might have been good men, so they found no need to verify further. Since, the blank must have a good connotation, so gentries and vassals might be the answers.

But the given answers are : reprobates and rogues.

What am I missing?

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    You're overlooking a number of key clues: "the policy prohibiting ... was to blame for ..." and "usually staffed by men of high moral values" (usually here meaning typically, normally, or otherwise) and "infiltrated" (look it up; it has a narrative cast). In other words, the sentence is drawing a contrast to "men of high moral values". So you're looking for words describing men of low moral values.
    – Dan Bron
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 11:28
  • Yep @DanBron, I agree. But, what is my interpretation wrong?
    – nikhil
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 11:32
  • Because it's the opposite of the correct answer. Metaphysical discussions aside, a question rarely admits an answer along with its diametric opposite. And never in a standardized test. In this case, saying the men were highly moral defeats the entire purpose of the statement: one does not blame things for allowing good men into the police force.
    – Dan Bron
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 11:36

2 Answers 2

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The hint is "was to blame for the fact". It clearly hints that prohibiting background check has caused infiltration of men who are not "men of high moral values" i.e reprobates and rogues.

Sense the antagonism implicit in the sentence, i.e the practice brought good people and banning it brought bad people. gentries and vassals do not mean bad people.

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You're totally off.

You need (see "usually" and "infiltrated") an antonym for

"men of high moral values"

and reprobates and rogues are the only ones fitting.

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    You want to explain why?
    – Dan Bron
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 11:44

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