Select the appropriate pair of words to fill in the blanks in the following sentence:-

The diligent investigator posed several ____ questions to the suspect in order to ____ the details of the case.

incisive, elicit

The correct answer is Option (3) → incisive, elicit

The sentence describes the actions of a diligent investigator, implying they would use effective methods to solve a case.

First Blank (Adjective for Questions): A diligent investigator would ask sharp, insightful questions. Incisive (Adjective): (Of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking; piercing. This fits the description of a diligent investigator's questions.

Second Blank (Verb for Investigator's Goal): The goal of asking questions is to draw out the facts. Elicit (Verb): To evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone. This fits the goal of uncovering case details.

The completed sentence is: "The diligent investigator posed several incisive questions to the suspect in order to elicit the details of the case."

Why the Other Options are Incorrect:

• evasive, confuse: Evasive questions avoid the issue, and an investigator's goal is not to confuse the details.

• irrelevant, obscure: Irrelevant questions are pointless, and obscure means to hide, which is the opposite of the investigator's goal.

• vague, exaggerate: Vague questions are unclear, and an investigator's goal is not to exaggerate the details.