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Fill in the blank with the appropriate word from the given options:

Despite an affected________that convinced casual observers that he was indifferent about his painting, the young NIFT graduate cared deeply about his art and laboured at it diligently.

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 2

The blank needs a quality that made observers think he was indifferent, though he actually cared deeply. 'Nonchalance' means an appearance of casual unconcern, so 'an affected nonchalance' (a pretended indifference) fits. 'Empathy' and 'fervour' suggest care, and 'hysteria' suggests wild emotion, contradicting the sentence.

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