In the given passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage ssage intently and choose the most appropriate option to fill in each blank:
The used bookstore was not merely a location where one might purchase books; it was a refuge. The air was thick with the earthy, rich smell of paper and dust, an odd fragrance which was at once soothing and (1) _________. I would spend hours there, running my fingers over the spines of ancient, forgotten books that stood on the shelves. Each novel was another world to discover, and I finally removed a leather-bound book with an odd, yellowed title. Its pages were dry and (2)__________. to the touch, as if one careless turn would make them disintegrate. As I picked up to read the opening lines, the words didn't merely speak a tale-they whisked me off to a whole different world, a place of magical creatures, gallant heroes, and secret spells. The vocabulary was old-fashioned, but impossibly (3)_________, describing gaudy pictures in my head that were more real than the creaky aisles surrounding me. I was amazed by the imagination of the writer, a well that was presumably truly (4)_________. I felt a rush of awe, an appreciation that these tales, as ancient as they were, remained supremely (5) _________ and capable of igniting the imagination of a new generation.
What should come in the place of blank number 2?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The passage describes ancient, forgotten books with yellowed titles and dry pages. The context after the blank states 'as if one careless turn would make them disintegrate', which strongly implies that the pages are delicate and easily broken. The word 'fragile' means easily broken or damaged, which perfectly fits this description.