2. In the United Kingdom, Slovakia and other countries with strong democratic institutions, the state tends to exert relatively little direct control over economic performance . Though this may seem to __ the state's ability to curb inflation ,Raj Desai et al. have shown that strongly democratic states can and do deploy effective counter-inflationary policies. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase? A. expropriate B. obstruct C. accentuate D. denigrate A.a B.b C. D.d

The best choice is **B. obstruct**.<br /><br />The sentence discusses the seemingly contradictory idea that a lack of direct state control in strong democracies doesn't necessarily hinder their ability to fight inflation. The word "obstruct" accurately reflects the initial impression that limited state control would *hinder* or *impede* the ability to curb inflation. The following clause then refutes this initial impression.<br /><br />Let's look at why the other options are less suitable:<br /><br />* **A. expropriate:** This means to take possession of something, usually forcefully. It doesn't fit the context of economic policy.<br />* **C. accentuate:** This means to emphasize or make more noticeable. It would imply that the lack of control *highlights* the inability to curb inflation, which is the opposite of the sentence's meaning.<br />* **D. denigrate:** This means to criticize or belittle. While it could be argued that a lack of control might be seen as a criticism, it doesn't capture the sense of hindering or impeding as well as "obstruct."<br /><br />Therefore, "obstruct" is the most logical and precise word to complete the sentence.<br />