The implication of this sentence is that the small town did not receive direct sunlight during the given period of time. This does not necessarily mean that it was rainy, snowing, or anything else. All that can be said is that it was likely to have been very cloudy (as is further hinted by the remarks about the clouds later). Thus, the word "overcast", which means covered with clouds, is the best option for the first blank. The second word, "parted," describes the spreading out of the clouds, which would have allowed light finally to shine on the town. (The "part" in someone's hair is the place where the strands spread in one of two directions.  The scalp under the part itself is often rather exposed.)

Because the actress accused the magazine "of publishing a . . . story about her that was full of lies and hurt her public image," we can infer that the magazine had to correct or take back its claims. So, we need to pick out an answer choice for the first blank that means something like "correct" or "take back." Either "retract" ("withdraw a statement or accusation as untrue or unjustified") or "withdraw" ("say that a statement one has made is untrue or unjustified") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out an adjective to describe the magazine's story that means something like "false" or "hurtful to one's public image." Either "libelous" ("containing an untrue written statement that causes people to have a bad opinion of someone") or "defamatory" ("of remarks, writing, etc. : damaging the good reputation of someone; slanderous or libelous") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "retract" and "libelous" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "retract . . . libelous."

Since the house is described as having "dusty rooms, loose boards, and broken windows," we know that we need an adjective for the first blank that means something like run-down or dreary. "Dilapidated" (in poor condition) and "dour" (gloomy) could each work in the first blank.

So, for the second blank, we need to choose between "feigned" and "capitulated," and we're looking for a verb that means faked. Since "feigned" means pretended to feel and "capitulated" means surrendered, "feigned" is the better choice and the answer is "dilapidated . . . feigned."

The sentence's context clue that the baby's crying disturbs Eric enough to send him to the library gives a strong hint that the word for the first blank should involve high frequency or volume. "Persistent" and "hysterical" could each be correct, as "persistent" would indicate that the crying is constant and "piercing" would indicate that it is loud. In the latter portion of the sentence, the fact that Eric goes to the library tells us that his studying is not going well, and in this context, saying that he cannot "concentrate," or focus one's attention on something makes the most sense. So, the correct answer is "persistent . . . concentrate."

That the teacher sent a note home "describing the interruptions caused by the student during class time" suggests that the student's behavior was bad and unjustified, and therefore "inexcusable." The teacher presumably "reprimanded" (scolded) him for his behavior and then sent the note home to his parents. So, the correct answer is "inexcusable . . . reprimand."

The mother wants to make sure her children are not being selfish, so she wants to make sure they are sharing and have a fair relationship with one another. The word "evenhanded" means fair and equal, but so does "equitable." A mother that wants to check on the activity of her children might "pry" or interfere with their lives, she would not "accelerate" (speed up) into the situation. To provide further help, "affable" means friendly, "collide" means hit, crash; "perplexing" means confusing; aspire" means attempt to be like; "inquire" means ask, question; "dogmatic" means insistent on one's own opinion.