The phrase "stolen property" is the best clue in the sentence. While all the answer choices are some kind of crime, only "larceny" means robbery or theft, which correctly completes the sentence.

The best word to understand the context for the answer choice is "arrogance," which limits the answer choices. The correct choice needs to indicate arrogance and a tendency to talk too much, ruling out every answer choice but "braggart."

The phrase "made certain to store copies" is an important one in the sentence, as it indicates the president wants to save his correspondence for some reason. With this in mind, "posterity," meaning the future or generations to come, is the best answer choice.

The second clause of the sentence indicates the mutiny was accomplished, so the captain unsuccessfully tried to stop the mutiny. Of all the answer choices, only "thwart," meaning prevent or frustrate something, carries the correct meaning.

"Rising floodwaters" are not something anyone wants near them, and the town is presumably hoping to stop them. The correct choice will show the town was fortifying itself.  "Bulwark," meaning a barrier or fortification, is the correct answer choice.

The fact that he needed a holiday indicates what the CEO needed was a rest. While "renewal" and "reenergizing" might look potentially correct, they do not make sense when followed by "from his hectic work schedule." Of the given answer choices, only "respite," meaning a break during which one can rest, works appropriately in context with the mention of a "holiday" and the CEO's "hectic work schedule."

The list of issues that makes up the second part of the sentence indicates there were many problems, and the correct answer will indicate that. "Myriad," meaning a variety or large numbers, is the best choice.

"Abhorrence," meaning hate, and "distaste," meaning dislike, do not work in the sentence, because they each would imply that Alexander wanted to avoid gaining more power. "Apathy," meaning indifference, would indicate that Alexander did not care very much about power, so that would not make sense either. "Fondness" could work, but the sentence is stressing just how much effort Alexander put into getting power, so "voracity," meaning hunger, is the better choice.

The key word in finding the correct answer is "opponents." The organization will be saying something directly against what their opponents' statement said. "Rebuttal," meaning a countering and oppositional statement, is the best fit among the choices.

The use of "correspondence" indicates the main storytelling device in the novel is a series of letters. Epistle is simply another word for letter, and is the correct answer.