Question

he brought an unsparing instinct for reality to bear on the platitudes and pieties of society. his sense of the human tragedy fortified him against self - deception and easy consolation. (paragraph 3)
the word platitudes comes from the latin word for dullness. based on this information, what is the meaning of the word platitudes as it is used in these sentences?
a interesting news
b political questions
c religious documents
d overused statements

Explanation:

The Latin root of "platitudes" means "dullness". "Interesting news" (A) is the opposite of dull. "Political questions" (B) and "religious documents" (C) don't relate to dullness. "Overused statements" often become dull or trite, matching the root's meaning and the context of societal pieties (common, unoriginal ideas).

Answer:

D. overused statements