Critics argued that the author's romanticized portrayal of historical events served to _______ the suffering of marginalized groups, presenting a sanitized version of history that ignored documented atrocities.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
acknowledge
diminish
exaggerate
investigate
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The passage criticizes a "sanitized version" that "ignored documented atrocities," indicating marginalization of suffering. "Diminish" means to make less important, fitting this harmful minimization.
Choice A is incorrect because "acknowledge" contradicts ignoring atrocities. Choice C is incorrect because "exaggerate" contradicts sanitized and minimized. Choice D is incorrect because "investigate" contradicts ignoring events.