2014-08-11 09:00:34

Eastern journalists ______ the frequent boasts of the citizens of Chicago by calling it the "Windy City," a name that has stuck, despite the fact that it was originally an insult.

(A) derided
(B) summoned
(C) invoked
(D) lauded
(E) encouraged

The correct answer is A
Explanation: To find the missing word, try to predict its meaning by using clues in the sentence. Here, the best clue is the phrase "despite the fact that it was originally an insult," which implies that the "Eastern journalists" insulted the boasts of Chicagoans. As the missing word describes what "Eastern journalists" did in response to the boasts, it follows that the missing word means something akin to "insulted." As such, the best choice is A: "derided" means "ridiculed or insulted."

None of the other choices work, either:

summoned: called on or urged
invoked: cited or appealed
lauded: praised
encouraged: gave support or confidence