Stephen Hannock’s luminous landscape paintings are appealing to viewers but have elicited little commentary from
contemporary critics, a phenomenon that may be due to the very fact that the paintings seem so ______. Many critics focus
their attention on art that is cryptic or overtly challenging.
innovative
subversive
profound
accessible
Choice D is the best answer. When talking about a thing, “accessible” means “easy to understand.” This sets up the contrast
in the next sentence, which tells us that critics mostly focus on art that is “cryptic or challenging” (meaning not easy to
understand).
Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t ﬁt the logic of the text. The next sentence tells us that critics focus on art that is
mysterious and challenging. If Hannock’s paintings are “innovative” (meaning advanced and original), then critics probably
would comment on them. Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t ﬁt the logic of the text. The next sentence tells us that critics
focus on art that is mysterious and challenging. If Hannock’s paintings are “subversive” (meaning disruptive and
revolutionary), then critics probably would comment on them. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t ﬁt the logic of the text. The
next sentence tells us that critics focus on art that is mysterious and challenging. If Hannock’s paintings are “profound”
(meaning very deep and insightful), then critics probably would comment on them.