Solution
✅ Correct Option: 2
To fill gap (ii) in the passage, the most appropriate word is "or".
| Option | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Option 1: and | Suggests both together - doesn't fit the "whether... or..." structure. |
| Option 2: or | Correct - fits the contrast: "whether through... or by..." |
| Option 3: along | "Along by" is incorrect - not a valid phrase. |
| Option 4: instead | Doesn't fit grammatically - "whether through... instead by..." is incorrect. |
The passage is discussing how economists use maximization in their analysis, and the phrase "whether through explicit reasoning ___ by implicit presumption" requires a word that indicates alternatives, which is precisely what "or" does.