Considering the first blank, we know that Harry "hadn't expected to place in the top five" in the Science Fair, but ended up "com[ing] in second," so we can infer that Harry was very happy about this and that we need to pick out an adjective to describe him that means something like "very happy." Either "euphoric" ("characterized by or feeling intense excitement and happiness") or "ecstatic" ("feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement") could be correct. For the second blank, we know that George "had expected to win first prize" but "came in fourth," so we can infer that he wasn't so happy with that turnout. So, we need to pick out another word that means something like "happy." Either "gleeful" ("exuberantly or triumphantly joyful") or "pleased" ("feeling or showing pleasure and satisfaction, especially at an event or a situation") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "euphoric" and "gleeful" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "euphoric . . . gleeful."

The first blank of this sentence is contrasted with the subordinate clause "taken as  a whole." The general idea is that, while Greta was certain of something concerning the whole reasoning, she was not certain about any given parts of it. That is, she was not certain regarding any specific errors. The word "specific" means distinct or identifiable; it is often contrasted to "general" or "generic." The second blank is best understood in relation to the word "errors in George's reasoning." While she was not certain about any specific parts, she was sure that the reasoning had errors. Thus, among the options provided, the best answer is "illogical," which means "having the character of poor, incorrect reasoning."

The adjective that we choose for the first blank needs to describe texts and have a positive connotation since the intern was hired for her ability to write good explanations. "Lucid" (which means expressed clearly; easy to understand) and "articulate" (which means fluent and coherent when referring to a person's writing) are each good choices for the first blank. For the second blank, we need to pick an adjective that has something to do with the art works' beauty. Choosing between "aesthetic" (concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty) and "empirical" (having to do with observation or experience rather than theory), "aesthetic" is the better choice, so the answer is "lucid . . . aesthetic."

In sentences with two blanks it is important to ensure that the meaning of the two blanks work with one another, as well as with the sentence as a whole. From the context of the sentence it is clear that the second blank must be a form of behavior that would get Alice fired. Comely means cute and mandatory required so those two answer choices could be ruled out. Histrionic means dramatic, but being fired from her job would be unlikely to make Alice feel reinforced so we can rule out that option. Merciless means cruel and without mercy, but again being fired is not going to make Alice feel jubilant. That leaves us with only despondent and debauched. Despondent means upset or disappointed, which is a normal reaction to being fired and debauched means wicked or lurid. This answer choice fits.

This sentence explains the relationship between the two blanks by saying that the second opinion is much stronger than the first opinion. This means that the two blanks both have to focus on the same general principle and that the second is an exaggeration of the first. The correct answer is insufferable . . . reprehensible. Insufferable means annoying and unbearable,and reprehensible means very bad and immoral;both are negative implications and the second is stronger opinion than the first. Petulant usually refers to someone ill-tempered, but worthy means someone deserving of praise so that does not fit. Erratic means difficult to predict, which does not match with regressive. Cursory which means done superficially does not fit comfortably into the sentence. Prosaic means ordinary,which also does not fit comfortably.

The contrast in this sentence is between “rigid logic” and the second blank. The word “heuristic” (particularly in computer science) means a loose rule—often explained as being a “rule of thumb.” Such devices help to simulate some scenario but not with the certainty of mathematical logic. For those who are used to such rigid logic, the development of such “heuristics” can be very difficult and perplexing—hence the choice word for the first blank.

A "sophisticated" work is one that is very complex, requiring much experience and knowledge to navigate. Although the word is distantly related to the Greek root “sophia,” meaning wisdom (and found in words like “philosophy”), “sophisticated” had a long development through more negative connotations (partially related to usages like “sophistical”). These are not reflected in our usage here. 

“Colloquial” means related to ordinary speech. Its root is derived from the Latin for “to speak or talk,” which has many derivatives in English, not only including those with the “c” that we see in “interlocutors” (e.g. "locution," "allocution"), but also the more common (and phonetically related) “q” (e.g. "eloquence," "loquacious," "colloquium"). The prefix “col-” really is derived from the Latin “cum,” meaning with. Colloquial language is the language one uses to “speak with” others of similar backgrounds and upbringings.

"Inconceivable" means impossible to comprehend or grasp fully, while "mundane" means concerned with the world rather than with spiritual things or commonplace.  Evidently, for many, Robert's concern with the world makes his life incomprehensibly commonplace, so "inconceivably . . . mundane" is the correct answer.

The key is to realize that Catholic law was not organized, which could be described as “ad hoc”—i.e. not collected and pulled together only from case to case as needed. (The expression “ad hoc” literally means for this in Latin, indicating that something applies only “for this or that”—but not according to a universal, organized rationality); therefore, it was not gathered together into a single “code” in which all the statutes were organized. Thus, the word “codified” fits well for the first blank.

The first part of the sentence says that Maggie is not usually afraid, but the "but" is the key word that lets us know that the blanks describe her being afraid in the second half of the sentence. Starting with the second blank, "tentative" makes the most sense because it means hesitant or uncertain. This is confirmed as the correct choice by the first blank, "dilapidated," which means in bad condition because of lack of care. While "ramshackle" and "nervewracking" also would work, their partner words do not fit the context as well.