Question

following dreams. (2) paulo coelhos simple tale of a shepherd boy who gives up his flock to pursue treasure has been published in 56 different languages and sold more than 65 million copies worldwide.

(3) the story begins with the boy, santiago, having a dream that he finds treasure at the egyptian pyramids. (4) after sharing his dream with a couple of interesting characters, including a gypsy who claims she can interpret dreams, he decides to sell his sheep and search for the treasure.

(5) after several disappointments like this, santiago decides to except his fate as a person who will never achieve his dream. (6) but each time he decides to give up and buy his sheep back, \the universe conspires\ to change his mind by helping him get closer to his goal.

(7) important themes in this novel include \following your personal legend,\ or hearts desire, and listening to the omens.

which word, if any, should replace except in sentence 5?

a. excerpt
b. accept
c. unkempt
d. correct as is

Explanation:

Analyze sentence 5 context

The question asks which word should replace "except" in sentence 5. Let's read sentence 5 from the passage:
"After several disappointments like this, Santiago decides to except his fate as a person who will never achieve his dream."

Define the word choices

We need to evaluate the meaning of the underlined word "except" and the options provided:

• except: typically used as a preposition meaning "excluding" or "but not" (e.g., "everyone except him").
• accept: a verb meaning to consent to receive, undertake, or agree to (e.g., "accept his fate").
• excerpt: a noun or verb referring to a short extract from a piece of writing, music, or film.
• unkempt: an adjective meaning untidy or disheveled in appearance.

Determine the correct usage

In sentence 5, the phrase is "decides to [word] his fate". We need an infinitive verb following "to" that means to reconcile with, receive, or resign oneself to.

• "Accept" fits this meaning perfectly: "decides to accept his fate".
• "Except" is incorrect here because it is a homophone of "accept" but has an entirely different meaning (exclusion).

Select the final option

Comparing our analysis with the choices:

• Option A (excerpt) is incorrect.
• Option B (accept) is correct.
• Option C (unkempt) is incorrect.
• Option D (correct as is) is incorrect because "except" is grammatically and semantically wrong in this context.

Answer:

• A. excerpt
• B. accept (Correct answer)
• C. unkempt
• D. correct as is