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PEIC Level 5 (C2) study materials
PEIC Level 5 (C2) study resources

PEIC Level 5 (C2) practice questions

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Question 1Reading

In a formal academic essay, which sentence best maintains an appropriately objective register for a C2 reading-and-writing task?

  1. Loads of people have been upping sticks and moving to the cities lately.
  2. The study's findings suggest that urban migration patterns have shifted considerably over the past decade. Correct answer.
  3. Honestly, folks just can't stop flocking to big cities anymore.
  4. It's pretty clear that everyone's heading to town these days.

Explanation

Formal academic register relies on measured hedging verbs such as 'suggest', precise nominalisation like 'migration patterns', and neutral vocabulary. The other options use colloquial idioms, contractions and intensifiers that belong to informal speech rather than academic prose.

Question 2Reading

Which cohesive device most precisely signals a concession followed by a counter-argument in an advanced reading passage?

  1. Moreover
  2. Similarly
  3. Admittedly Correct answer.
  4. Therefore

Explanation

'Admittedly' introduces a point the writer concedes before rebutting it, which is the classic concession-then-counter structure. 'Therefore' marks a conclusion, 'Moreover' adds supporting information, and 'Similarly' draws a parallel rather than a contrast.

Question 3Reading

A reader encounters the phrase 'the policy was met with a groundswell of dissent'. What does 'groundswell' most precisely convey here?

  1. A carefully organised committee vote
  2. A rapidly growing body of shared opposition Correct answer.
  3. A legally binding formal objection
  4. A minor and isolated complaint

Explanation

'Groundswell' denotes a growing, widespread movement of opinion emerging from many people, often used with abstract nouns like dissent or support. It implies breadth and momentum rather than a single formal act or a trivial objection.

Question 4Reading

In the sentence 'Having been overlooked for promotion twice, she decided to confront her manager', what does the participial clause primarily establish?

  1. A simultaneous action occurring at the same moment
  2. A hypothetical condition that may not be true
  3. A prior cause motivating the main action Correct answer.
  4. A concession that weakens the main clause

Explanation

A perfect participial clause ('Having been overlooked') places an event before the main verb and typically supplies its cause or reason. It is not simultaneous, hypothetical or concessive in this construction.

Question 5Reading

Which option best paraphrases 'The report stops short of endorsing the proposal' while preserving its meaning?

  1. The report briefly mentions the proposal in passing.
  2. The report fully endorses the proposal without reservation.
  3. The report declines to give the proposal its full approval. Correct answer.
  4. The report firmly rejects the proposal outright.

Explanation

'Stops short of endorsing' means the report goes close to but does not actually endorse, i.e. it withholds full approval. It does not mean outright rejection, mere mention, or full endorsement.

Question 6Reading

A passage states: 'While the data are suggestive, they hardly warrant the sweeping conclusions drawn in the press.' What is the author's stance toward the press coverage?

  1. Neutral, offering no evaluation of the coverage
  2. Sceptical that the evidence supports the reported claims Correct answer.
  3. Enthusiastic about the accuracy of the coverage
  4. Confused about what the data actually show

Explanation

'Hardly warrant' signals that the evidence is insufficient for the conclusions, and 'suggestive' concedes only weak support. The author therefore doubts the press claims rather than endorsing or remaining neutral about them.

Question 7Reading

Which sentence uses a defining relative clause correctly to restrict the noun it modifies?

  1. Students, who submit late work, will incur a penalty.
  2. Students, who submit late work will incur a penalty.
  3. Students who submit late work, will incur a penalty.
  4. Students who submit late work will incur a penalty. Correct answer.

Explanation

A defining relative clause restricts the noun and takes no commas; here it identifies only the students who submit late. Adding commas turns it into non-defining information implying all students submit late.

Question 8Reading

In an argumentative text, the phrase 'This objection, however, rests on a false dichotomy' functions primarily to do what?

  1. Concede that the opposing view is entirely correct
  2. Identify a flaw in the reasoning of an opposing view Correct answer.
  3. Introduce a new piece of supporting evidence
  4. Summarise the writer's own conclusion

Explanation

Naming a 'false dichotomy' is a technique for exposing a logical flaw in an opponent's argument, namely presenting two options as exhaustive when they are not. It is evaluative and critical rather than concessive or evidential.

Question 9Reading

Which word best completes the sentence: 'The committee's decision was ____; it satisfied neither the staff nor the management.'?

  1. decisive
  2. lucrative
  3. unanimous
  4. contentious Correct answer.

Explanation

'Contentious' means causing or likely to cause disagreement, which fits a decision that pleased neither side. 'Decisive' and 'unanimous' imply clear resolution or agreement, and 'lucrative' concerns profit.

Question 10Reading

A text reads: 'Far from resolving the dispute, the new regulation inflamed it.' What rhetorical effect does 'Far from' achieve?

  1. It introduces a neutral chronological sequence
  2. It lists a series of parallel examples
  3. It softens the claim with cautious hedging
  4. It sets up an emphatic reversal of an expected outcome Correct answer.

Explanation

'Far from X, Y' is an emphatic construction asserting that the opposite of the expected result occurred. It creates contrastive emphasis rather than sequence, hedging or enumeration.

Question 11Reading

Which sentence correctly uses the subjunctive mood in a formal register?

  1. The board insisted that the report being submitted by Friday.
  2. The board insisted that the report be submitted by Friday. Correct answer.
  3. The board insisted that the report is submitted by Friday.
  4. The board insisted that the report was submitted by Friday.

Explanation

After verbs of demand such as 'insist that', formal English uses the mandative subjunctive, which takes the base form 'be' regardless of tense or subject. The other options use indicative forms or an ungrammatical participial construction.

Question 12Reading

Which option best captures the function of a topic sentence within an academic paragraph?

  1. It links the paragraph to the previous one by repeating its final word.
  2. It announces the paragraph's controlling idea that the following sentences develop. Correct answer.
  3. It provides the strongest piece of statistical evidence in the paragraph.
  4. It summarises every detail already presented in the paragraph.

Explanation

A topic sentence states the paragraph's central claim or controlling idea, which subsequent sentences support or develop. It is not necessarily evidential, retrospective or a mechanical lexical link.

Question 13Reading

In the sentence 'The evidence, though compelling, was ultimately inconclusive', what is the function of 'though compelling'?

  1. It intensifies the meaning of 'inconclusive'
  2. It states the main cause of the conclusion
  3. It provides a hypothetical alternative scenario
  4. It concedes a point while qualifying the main assertion Correct answer.

Explanation

'Though compelling' is a concessive phrase acknowledging a strength of the evidence while the main clause asserts its limitation. It does not express cause, hypothesis or intensification.

Question 14Reading

Which pair of words are antonyms in an academic context?

  1. cogent / convincing
  2. explicit / implicit Correct answer.
  3. empirical / observed
  4. coherent / logical

Explanation

'Explicit' means clearly stated, while 'implicit' means implied rather than stated, making them opposites. The other pairs are near-synonyms rather than antonyms.

Question 15Reading

A passage argues: 'If we accept that reading develops empathy, then funding libraries is a public-health measure.' Which reasoning pattern does this exemplify?

  1. An inductive generalisation from specific cases
  2. A conditional premise leading to a reframing conclusion Correct answer.
  3. An appeal to authority for support
  4. A circular definition of the key term

Explanation

The sentence uses an 'if...then' conditional to derive a reframed conclusion about libraries as public health. It does not generalise from cases, cite an authority, or define a term circularly.

Question 16Reading

Which sentence uses an appropriate academic hedge to express a cautiously supported claim?

  1. The results prove beyond doubt that the variables are linked.
  2. The results definitely mean the variables are the same thing.
  3. The results obviously show that the variables are identical.
  4. The results appear to indicate a modest correlation between the two variables. Correct answer.

Explanation

Hedging uses verbs like 'appear to indicate' and qualifiers such as 'modest' to present a claim proportionate to the evidence. The other options overstate certainty and confuse correlation with identity.

Question 17Reading

Read this sentence: 'Not only did the reforms fail to reduce inequality, but they also widened the gap.' What is the effect of the 'Not only... but also' construction?

  1. It introduces a conditional consequence
  2. It concedes the reforms were successful overall
  3. It adds a second, stronger point to an initial negative claim Correct answer.
  4. It presents two mutually exclusive alternatives

Explanation

'Not only... but also' is a correlative construction that adds a further, often more striking point to the first. Here it compounds a failure with an even worse outcome, not presenting alternatives, concessions or conditions.

Question 18Reading

Which option correctly identifies the referent of 'this' in: 'The agency cut its budget by a third. This alarmed local charities.'?

  1. The budget reduction by the agency Correct answer.
  2. The charities' alarm at the news
  3. The agency's original budget total
  4. The local charities themselves

Explanation

Demonstrative 'this' can refer to a whole preceding proposition; here it points to the act of cutting the budget. It does not refer to the charities, the budget figure, or the resulting emotion.

Question 19Reading

Which sentence best demonstrates a nominalised style typical of formal academic writing?

  1. They put the policy in place and emissions went down.
  2. The implementation of the policy resulted in a reduction of emissions. Correct answer.
  3. Putting the policy in place meant emissions fell.
  4. Once they'd implemented it, emissions dropped a lot.

Explanation

Nominalisation turns verbs and adjectives into abstract nouns, as in 'implementation' and 'reduction', producing a dense formal style. The other options rely on verbs, contractions and colloquial phrasing.

Question 20Reading

A passage states: 'The author's reliance on anecdote is not so much a weakness as a deliberate rhetorical choice.' Which interpretation is most accurate?

  1. The writer believes anecdotes are always superior to statistics.
  2. The writer thinks the author made an unintentional error.
  3. The writer reframes what looks like a flaw as an intentional strategy. Correct answer.
  4. The writer dismisses the author's method entirely.

Explanation

The 'not so much X as Y' construction reinterprets the apparent weakness as a purposeful choice. It does not claim anecdotes are universally superior, nor does it treat the method as an error or dismiss it.

Question 21Reading

In the sentence 'Scarcely had the findings been published when criticism began', what does the inverted structure emphasise?

  1. That the criticism preceded the publication
  2. That the findings were never actually published
  3. How gradually the criticism accumulated over time
  4. How immediately the criticism followed publication Correct answer.

Explanation

Fronted negative adverbials like 'Scarcely... when' trigger subject-auxiliary inversion and stress the near-simultaneity of two events. Here it highlights that criticism began almost at once, not that publication failed or preceded criticism.

Question 22Reading

Which option most accurately describes the function of a counter-argument in a well-structured critical essay?

  1. It weakens the essay by introducing irrelevant material.
  2. It strengthens the writer's case by engaging and rebutting opposing views. Correct answer.
  3. It replaces the writer's own thesis with an opposing one.
  4. It repeats the main claim in different words for emphasis.

Explanation

Addressing and rebutting counter-arguments demonstrates critical engagement and can strengthen the writer's position by showing awareness of alternatives. It does not replace the thesis or merely repeat the claim.

Question 23Reading

A text claims: 'The correlation between screen time and poor sleep does not establish that screens cause insomnia.' Which logical principle does this illustrate?

  1. An argument must cite primary sources
  2. Appeal to popular opinion is fallacious
  3. A definition must avoid circularity
  4. Correlation does not entail causation Correct answer.

Explanation

The statement warns that a statistical association alone cannot establish a causal relationship, the classic correlation-causation distinction. It does not concern popularity, definitional circularity or sourcing requirements.

Question 24Reading

Which option best explains why an author might use the passive voice in a research report?

  1. To introduce deliberate ambiguity about the topic
  2. To avoid stating any findings at all
  3. To make the writing more conversational and personal
  4. To foreground the process or finding rather than the researcher Correct answer.

Explanation

The passive voice allows the writer to place the process or result in the subject position, as in 'the samples were analysed', shifting focus away from the agent. It does not make prose conversational, omit findings, or create ambiguity.

Question 25Reading

In the sentence 'The proposal, having been rejected twice, was finally abandoned', what is the relationship between the participial phrase and the main clause?

  1. It contradicts the claim made in the main clause
  2. It states a condition under which abandonment would occur
  3. It gives the prior circumstance leading to the final action Correct answer.
  4. It describes an action occurring at the same time as abandonment

Explanation

The perfect passive participle 'having been rejected' presents an event completed before the main verb and explains the background to the abandonment. It is neither simultaneous, conditional, nor contradictory.

Question 26Reading

In a critical review, the writer states: 'The study's sample, drawn entirely from one university, limits how far its conclusions can travel.' Which reading skill does this sentence most directly display?

  1. Identifying the author's tone
  2. Recognising a shift in chronology
  3. Evaluating the generalisability of evidence Correct answer.
  4. Decoding unfamiliar vocabulary from context

Explanation

The sentence comments on how far findings can be extended beyond the population studied, which is a judgement about external validity. Recognising this requires the reader to assess the scope of evidence rather than merely understand the words. It is therefore an evaluative, critical-reading move.

Question 27Reading

A report reads: 'The pilot scheme cut waiting times by 40 per cent. Whether the same result would hold nationally remains open.' How is the second sentence best described?

  1. An illustration of the first sentence
  2. A qualification of the first sentence's implications Correct answer.
  3. A restatement of the first sentence
  4. A contradiction of the first sentence

Explanation

The second sentence accepts the pilot's result but restricts how far it can be generalised, so it qualifies the implications of the first. It does not deny the figure or repeat it. Qualifying claims is a standard feature of cautious academic argument.

Question 28Reading

Which option best describes the function of the phrase 'by contrast' in an academic paragraph?

  1. It marks a conclusion drawn from earlier evidence
  2. It adds a further point supporting the same claim
  3. It introduces a cause-and-effect relationship
  4. It signals that the following point diverges from the preceding one Correct answer.

Explanation

'By contrast' is a contrastive discourse marker: it tells the reader that what follows differs from what came before. It does not express causation, conclusion, or addition. Accurate reading depends on tracking these signposts.

Question 29Reading

In the sentence 'The results were surprising, albeit modest', what does 'albeit' introduce?

  1. A reason explaining the results
  2. A concession that limits the preceding adjective Correct answer.
  3. A restatement in simpler terms
  4. A comparison of two separate studies

Explanation

'Albeit' introduces a concessive qualification, meaning 'although' or 'even though'. Here it concedes that the results were only modest, tempering 'surprising'. It does not give a cause, a comparison, or a paraphrase.

Question 30Reading

A paragraph opens: 'Urban green spaces are often praised for improving air quality. Yet their measurable effect on pollution is slight.' Which connective would best replace 'Yet' without changing the logic?

  1. Therefore
  2. However Correct answer.
  3. For instance
  4. Similarly

Explanation

The second sentence counters the first, so a contrastive connective such as 'However' preserves the logic. 'Therefore' would wrongly imply a consequence, 'Similarly' would imply agreement, and 'For instance' would imply exemplification.

Question 31Reading

When reading an abstract, a candidate encounters 'This paper problematises the notion of best practice.' What does 'problematises' most nearly mean here?

  1. Summarises the history of an idea
  2. Provides a practical solution to a problem
  3. Calls the idea into question and exposes its difficulties Correct answer.
  4. Confirms the idea through new evidence

Explanation

To problematise something is to treat it as questionable, exposing assumptions and tensions rather than accepting it. It is a critical move, not a practical remedy. The verb therefore signals sceptical scrutiny of the concept.

Question 32Reading

A text states: 'The novelist's later work is dense, allusive and frequently oblique.' Which quality is being attributed to the work?

  1. It is brief and plainly written
  2. It is autobiographical in content
  3. It is popular with general readers
  4. It is indirect and requires interpretation Correct answer.

Explanation

'Oblique' means indirect or slantwise, and 'allusive' means rich in implied references, so the work demands interpretive effort. Neither brevity nor popularity is implied. The adjectives describe stylistic difficulty.

Question 33Reading

In a journal article, the sentence 'Participants were randomly assigned to conditions' appears in the methods section. Why is the passive voice appropriate here?

  1. It shortens the sentence for stylistic variety
  2. It conceals who conducted the study
  3. It foregrounds the procedure rather than the researchers Correct answer.
  4. It expresses uncertainty about the findings

Explanation

In methods writing, the passive shifts attention to what was done and to the participants, which is the relevant focus. It is a convention of reporting procedure, not a device for hiding authorship or hedging results. The agent is simply treated as unimportant.

Question 34Reading

A passage reads: 'The policy was welcomed by unions; employers, by contrast, greeted it with silence.' What does the semicolon do in this sentence?

  1. It joins two closely related independent clauses in balanced contrast Correct answer.
  2. It marks a quotation that follows
  3. It introduces a list of examples
  4. It separates a main clause from a subordinate one

Explanation

A semicolon can link two independent clauses whose ideas are tightly connected, and here it sets up a balanced contrast between unions and employers. It does not introduce lists, quotations, or subordinate clauses. The structure is parallel and symmetrical.

Question 35Reading

A reader notes that a historian writing in 1950 describes a wartime decision as 'regrettable but unavoidable'. Why should the reader treat this judgement with caution?

  1. The claim is unsupported by any date
  2. The sentence lacks a clear subject
  3. The phrasing reflects the assumptions of its period and may encode a particular perspective Correct answer.
  4. The writer uses too many adjectives

Explanation

Evaluating a source requires attention to when and by whom it was written, since judgements carry the assumptions of their context. 'Unavoidable' is a strong evaluative claim that warrants scrutiny. The issue is perspective, not grammar or style.

Question 36Reading

Which option best explains the difference between skimming and scanning when reading an academic report?

  1. Skimming gathers the gist of a passage, while scanning locates specific details Correct answer.
  2. Skimming requires note-taking, while scanning requires memorisation
  3. Skimming is for fiction, while scanning is for non-fiction
  4. Skimming reads every word, while scanning reads only the conclusion

Explanation

Skimming is a rapid pass for overall meaning, whereas scanning is a targeted search for a particular item such as a figure or name. Both are selective strategies used with expository texts. The distinction lies in purpose, not in genre.

Question 37Reading

A text argues: 'Because the survey relied on self-report, participants may have overstated their compliance.' What kind of reasoning does this sentence employ?

  1. It compares two competing surveys
  2. It offers an anecdote to illustrate a point
  3. It defines a technical term for the reader
  4. It identifies a methodological limitation that could bias the data Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence points to a feature of the method, self-report, and explains how it could distort the results. This is a limitation-based critique of data quality. It is not anecdotal, comparative, or definitional.

Question 38Reading

In the sentence 'The committee, whose members had not been consulted, rejected the proposal', what is the function of the clause 'whose members had not been consulted'?

  1. It introduces a condition for the rejection
  2. It restricts which committee is meant
  3. It supplies non-essential additional information about the committee Correct answer.
  4. It states the main action of the sentence

Explanation

The clause is set off by commas and adds descriptive information about the committee rather than identifying it. Because it is non-defining, it could be removed without changing which committee is meant. The main action remains 'rejected the proposal'.

Question 39Reading

A reviewer writes: 'The book is admirably researched; one might quibble, however, with its relentless length.' What is the reviewer's overall stance?

  1. Wholly negative
  2. Broadly favourable, with a noted reservation Correct answer.
  3. Neutral, offering no evaluation
  4. Enthusiastic, with no criticism

Explanation

'Admirably researched' expresses praise, while 'one might quibble' introduces a mild criticism, so the stance is positive with a reservation. The concessive structure balances approval against a single objection. Reading stance requires weighing both halves of such sentences.

Question 40Reading

Which option best describes what is meant by 'inferential comprehension' in a reading test?

  1. Memorising the order of paragraphs
  2. Drawing a conclusion not stated explicitly by combining textual clues Correct answer.
  3. Decoding the pronunciation of unfamiliar words
  4. Locating a stated fact by scanning

Explanation

Inferential comprehension requires the reader to go beyond the literal text, joining clues to reach a conclusion the writer implies. It differs from literal comprehension, which retrieves stated information. This distinction underpins many higher-level reading items.

Question 41Reading

A text reads: 'Notwithstanding the funding cuts, the laboratory maintained its output.' Which paraphrase preserves the meaning?

  1. The laboratory's output depended entirely on new funding
  2. The laboratory reduced its output after funding was cut
  3. The laboratory kept up its output even though funding was reduced Correct answer.
  4. The laboratory increased its output because funding was reduced

Explanation

'Notwithstanding' means 'in spite of', so the sentence asserts that output continued despite cuts. The relationship is concessive, not causal. Any paraphrase implying that cuts caused a change misreads the connective.

Question 42Reading

In an academic text, a writer uses 'arguably' in the sentence 'This is arguably the most influential study of the decade.' What does the adverb contribute?

  1. It attributes the claim to a named source
  2. It signals that the claim is open to debate rather than asserted outright Correct answer.
  3. It marks the claim as a direct quotation
  4. It states that the claim has been proven

Explanation

'Arguably' hedges a strong superlative, presenting the claim as defensible but contestable. It softens assertion without withdrawing it. This is a common hedging device in evaluative academic writing.

Question 43Reading

A paragraph begins: 'It is true that enrolment rose sharply. This increase, however, was concentrated in a single faculty.' What is the rhetorical purpose of opening with 'It is true that'?

  1. To summarise the paragraph's conclusion
  2. To deny the point outright
  3. To introduce a new topic unrelated to the previous one
  4. To concede a point before qualifying it Correct answer.

Explanation

Concessive openings acknowledge an opposing or complicating point before the writer narrows its significance. Here the rise in enrolment is granted, then shown to be limited in scope. This builds credibility while advancing the argument.

Question 44Reading

A researcher writes: 'These findings should be read alongside the earlier longitudinal data.' What does the modal 'should' express here?

  1. A prediction about future events
  2. A recommendation about how to interpret the results Correct answer.
  3. An obligation imposed by a funding body
  4. A logical certainty

Explanation

'Should' here advises the reader on interpretation, recommending comparison with prior data. It is a deontic recommendation rather than a prediction or a statement of certainty. Modal meaning depends heavily on context.

Question 45Reading

Read this extract: 'The reform was sold as a simplification. In practice it added three new tiers of bureaucracy.' Which technique does the writer use to criticise the reform?

  1. Defining a technical term at length
  2. Juxtaposing the promised outcome with the actual one Correct answer.
  3. Quoting a government minister directly
  4. Citing statistical evidence

Explanation

The criticism works by placing the advertised aim beside the observed result, letting the discrepancy speak for itself. This ironic juxtaposition is a common device in critical commentary. No statistics, quotations, or definitions are supplied.

Question 46Reading

A passage states: 'The correlation between library funding and literacy is robust; the direction of causation, if any, is another matter entirely.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. The link is well evidenced, but its causal explanation is unresolved Correct answer.
  2. The writer regards both variables as irrelevant
  3. The writer believes causation runs from literacy to funding
  4. The link has been disproven

Explanation

The sentence affirms the strength of the correlation while explicitly leaving causation open. It neither denies the link nor commits to a direction of cause. The reader must separate evidential strength from causal interpretation.

Question 47Reading

An author writes: 'To describe the policy as a failure is to accept a framing that its critics have worked hard to establish.' What is the author doing?

  1. Endorsing the view that the policy failed
  2. Reporting a neutral factual outcome
  3. Attacking the critics' evidence as fabricated
  4. Questioning the evaluative label rather than endorsing it Correct answer.

Explanation

The author distances themselves from the label 'failure' by presenting it as a contested framing promoted by critics. This is a metadiscursive move that examines how the issue is described rather than simply adopting the description. The sentence does not allege fabrication.

Question 48Reading

A text reads: 'Rarely has a report been so widely cited and so little read.' What is the effect of the inverted opening 'Rarely has'?

  1. It signals that the claim is uncertain
  2. It introduces a direct comparison with another report
  3. It lends emphasis to the paradox by placing the negative adverb first Correct answer.
  4. It converts the statement into a question

Explanation

Fronting a negative adverb triggers subject-auxiliary inversion and throws emphasis onto the rarity being asserted. The effect heightens the paradox of a much-cited but unread report. Inversion here is rhetorical, not interrogative or hedging.

Question 49Reading

A reviewer comments: 'The author's prose is lucid to a fault: every complexity is smoothed away before it can trouble the reader.' How should the colon be understood?

  1. It introduces direct speech
  2. It marks a shift to an unrelated topic
  3. It introduces an explanation that reveals the ironic force of 'to a fault' Correct answer.
  4. It introduces a list of the author's virtues

Explanation

The colon presents a gloss that unpacks the preceding judgement, and that gloss shows why 'lucid to a fault' is ironic: clarity has become simplification. The second half explains rather than lists. Recognising irony depends on reading the colon's explanatory link.

Question 50Reading

A passage notes: 'The memoir's silences are as eloquent as its declarations.' Which reading of this sentence is most defensible?

  1. What the memoir omits is treated as meaningful evidence Correct answer.
  2. The memoir is poorly written and hard to follow
  3. The memoir avoids all emotional content
  4. The memoir contains long passages of dialogue

Explanation

Calling silences 'eloquent' attributes meaning to what is left out, so omissions become interpretively significant. This is a critical claim about absence as evidence, not about dialogue or readability. The reader must infer that omission itself carries weight.