JSR14

Yeah, I get that- my beef is that the conventions of grammar suggest "for…" modifies special pleading, (meaning that limited talents wouldn't make sense in that context) while the semantic meaning (disregarding the grammar of the sentence) suggests the other answer. In every practice test I've taken, I've consistently scored in the 162-165 range, and I'm trying to figure out what's keeping me there. I really think the test has a semantic bias (over structure)- and not taking that into account could be my problem.

I'm studying for the test, and came across this question: Overlarge, uneven, and ultimately disappointing, the retrospective exhibition seems too much like special pleading for a forgotten painter of real but ____________ talents a. limited b. partial c. undiscovered d. circumscribed e. prosaic f. hidden The correct answer is a/d. I put c/f. I feel like the sentence is ambiguous- doesn't the answer depend on what the prepositional phrase 'for a forgotten painter …' means? The correct answer would have 'for a forgotten painter' to mean 'to have been a forgotten painter.' In other words, the exhibition was too grandiose to have been from a forgotten painter of limited talents. BUT- what if 'for' goes with special pleading: The exhibition seems too much like special pleading (advocating FOR) a forgotten painter of…' In that case, wouldn't hidden and undiscovered be the correct answer? Is my reasoning wrong, or is this a crappy question. Opinions welcome- I can't even tell anymore. I hate this test.