The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the text provided in the image, the correct word to complete the sentence is envy.
The full, completed sentence reads: “Enviable talents are those that provoke feelings of envy.”
This answer is derived directly from the definition and etymology of the word “enviable.” The adjective “enviable” literally means something that is so desirable or successful that it is likely to arouse the feeling of envy in other people. Therefore, the sentence is providing a definitional statement; it is explaining the very essence of what makes a talent worthy of being called “enviable.” The sentence structure itself is a clue, creating a tautology where the term is defined by its own root word.
Envy is a fundamental human emotion characterized by the desire to have a quality, possession, or achievement that belongs to someone else. When we observe a person with a remarkable talent, such as a virtuoso musician, a brilliant scientist, or a gifted athlete, the feeling provoked is often envy. This doesn’t necessarily imply malice or ill will; rather, it is a natural reaction to witnessing another’s advantage and wishing for a similar ability or success for oneself. It highlights a personal longing or aspiration. For instance, an aspiring novelist might feel envy towards a critically acclaimed author, not out of spite, but out of a deep desire to achieve that same level of creative skill and recognition.
In this context, the talent is the object of desire, and the feeling it “provokes” is the longing for that talent. The sentence functions as a perfect loop of logic: a talent is described as enviable precisely because it causes others to feel envy. No other word fits the blank as accurately or completely, as the entire concept of an “enviable talent” is built upon its capacity to stir this specific emotion in those who witness it.
