Since the spectators completely stopped because of the scene, it is likely proper to say that their attention was completely "taken" by it. When someone is "engrossed," he or she is utterly absorbed in or by something. One could be engrossed in work, music, or—indeed—a beautiful scene. Because the spectators were so "taken in" by the scene, it is acceptable to say that they were "entranced" by it, meaning that their attention was completely absorbed in it. (Think of being in a "trance" to understand this meaning.)

We can tell from the context of the sentence that for the first blank, we're looking for an adjective that means not sunk, as it describes the boat before Sally's brother jumped off the diving board and sunk it. Of the available choices, "afloat" (floating) and "buoyant" (able to stay afloat) could work. For the second blank, we can infer that we need a word that means something like overturned, since we can picture what would happen to a paper boat in a wavy pool. Either "capsized" (overturned in water) or "sank" could work. Of the potentially correct answers we've identified, only "afloat" and "capsized" appear in a single answer choice, so "afloat . . . capsized" is the correct answer.

Let's start with the second blank. Since we know that the sprinkler system came on unexpectedly, we can guess that the cat got wet, so we should pick out an adjective that means something like soaked. Either "doused" (drenched) or "drenched" could work. For the first blank, we can guess that a wet cat wouldn't be too happy, so either "woeful" (sorrowful) or "miserable" (sad or uncomfortable) could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "woeful" and "doused" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "woeful . . . doused."

For the first blank, we need to pick out an word that means something like messed up, since we know that after the virus affected the file, it resulted in the message being a "confused jumble of letters." Either "garbled" (having its meaning distorted) or "scrambled" (jumbled) could be correct. For the second blank, we know that people tried to read the file but could not, so we should look for an adjective that means something like unreadable. Either "incomprehensible" (not able to be understood) or "indecipherable" (not able to be read) could be correct; while "inconsiderate" also begins with the prefix "in-," "inconsiderate" means rude, so it cannot be the correct answer. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "garbled" and "incomprehensible" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "garbled . . . incomprehensible."

For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like grew sad, because we know that Sally wanted to ride the roller coaster and assumed she could not because of the height restriction. Either "despaired" (gave up) or "saddened" (grew sad) could be correct. For the second blank, since we know that there no were exceptions to the height rule, either "compulsory" (obligatory) or "mandatory" (compulsory) could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "despaired" and "compulsory" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "despaired . . . compulsory."

For the first blank, "ambled" (to walk at a relaxed pace) or "meandered" (to take a winding course) would work. "Plodding" would be about the same speed, but with a sense more of fatigue or resentment than of awe, and you might want to "hurry" or "dash" on to see what's around the next turn, but the context suggests a pace that allows sufficient time to meditate on the beauty. For the second blank (for the word pairs that we have not yet eliminated), "ample" (plenty) makes the most sense.

In this problem, there are few clues to help you solve for the words apart from seeing which two words fit together when plugged in for the blank terms. “Nonchalant” means not caring and “meandering” means walking indirectly; would someone who does not care about things have trouble walking indirectly? No, that makes no sense. We can eliminate that answer choice. Eventually, it should become clear that the correct answer is “sociable” and “assimilating.” “Sociable” means friendly and good at talking to people and “assimilating” means fitting in to a new culture. Would someone who is not good at talking to people have trouble fitting in a new city? Yes, that makes sense. To provide further help, “dissolute” means immoral and “wandering” means walking aimlessly; “prosperous” means successful and wealthy and “rendering” means depicting or showing; and “dynamic” means forceful or exciting and “sequencing” means putting in order.

Any of the words in the first blank could describe a reasonable reaction to a high level of poverty, so the second-blank words are going to determine the correct answer. We can cross off "affluent," which means wealthy (no need to add to their wealth). The city's poor may also be "despondent," or lacking hope, though other things besides poverty could also cause this state. We are left with two words that look similar, though with very different meanings: "indigent" and "indignant." The second word, "indignant," means very angry because of an injustice (a word perhaps better used to describe the activist's own motivation), while "indigent"—the correct option here—means having no money.

For the first blank, we can infer that we need to pick out a verb that means something like "disobey," because the sentence mentions "outlaws," "the town's jail," and "until they . . . decide to be law-abiding citizens." So, either "defy" ("openly resist or refuse to obey") or "ignore" ("refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally") could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a phrase that means something like "imprisoned in," because we know that outlaws who defy the law would end up imprisoned in the town's jail. Either "confined to" ("restrain or forbid someone from leaving (a place)") or "incarcerated in" ("imprisoned or confined in") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "defy" and "confined to" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "defy . . . confined to."

We can infer that Jack either did not know how to drive a stick shift or was inexperienced at it, because he did something that made him "later [consider] himself lucky that the car had somehow stayed upright." So, either "unaccustomed to" or "inexperienced in" would make sense as an answer choice for the first blank. For the second blank, we know that Jack felt he was lucky that the car remained upright, so we can infer that he almost flipped it over. Either "upended" ("set or turned something on its end or upside down") or "flipped" could be a potentially correct answer choice for the second blank. Of the potentially correct answers we've identified, only "naive" and "benign" appear in a single answer choice, so "unaccustomed to . . . upended" is the correct answer.