Before the invention of the camera, wealthy families often commissioned painted portraits. These artworks were a primary way to preserve the _______ of ancestors, ensuring that future generations would know what their forebears looked like.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
memory
likeness
health
spirit
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The text describes a painting used before photography. Photography captures how someone looks. Therefore, the portrait preserves the "likeness" (the fact or quality of resembling someone).
Choice A is incorrect because "memory" is abstract; the portrait is physical. Choice C is incorrect because a painting cannot preserve health. Choice D is incorrect because "spirit" is non-physical.