His theory purported

[sentencecorrection2]

Source:
Manhattan 5lb 3rd edition. page 41

His theory purported that “proper” enjoyment of art was a matter of pure aesthetics — it is surely, he says, a baser pleasure being enjoyed by the untrained (i) _________, the museum “tourist” with (ii) _________ sensibilities, and even the art theorists and art historians who simply appreciate cultural referents or narratives in art, a predilection he thinks leads to (iii) _________ view of any art that includes such elements.
Blank (i)
cabal
literati
hoi-polloi
Blank (ii)
incendiary
parochial
dulcet
Blank (iii)
a facile
an urbane
a painstaking

Answer: hoi-polloi, parochial & a facile

Please explain the clues for each blank!

[tommywallach]

Hey SC,

The sentence says that enjoying art is just a question of aesthetics (i.e. whether you find it beautiful). We know it's a base pleasure being enjoyed by someone untrained (for blank 1). Only "hoi-polloi" (meaning "the masses; common people") would qualify as inherently untrained.

For blank 2, we have a museum "tourist." Again, this would be someone who doesn't have a lot of knowledge (they're a "tourist," not an expert). "Parochial" means "limited in scope," which would fit a tourist.

For the third blank, the theory in question would not approve of whatever it is that's being discussed. That's because we know the theory said that art was just about "aesthetics," but the people being described here appreciate cultural referents and narratives, neither of which have anything to do with aesthetics. Only "facile" is a negative word.

Hope that helps!

-t