Reading 19–20 Blank (Conjunctive Adverb) + Matching

Reading · Medium

Item 19 is secured just by distinguishing '만약·비록·물론·과연'

This is a set of two items based on a single passage. Item 19 asks you to choose the conjunctive adverb that fits the blank, and item 20 asks you to choose the option that matches the content of that passage. Since there is only one passage but two items, this is an efficient section — read the passage carefully once and you can solve both items at the same time. Item 19 really only requires choosing among four words — '만약' marks a condition (~다면), '비록' marks concession (~지만/더라도), '물론' concedes a point before pivoting, and '과연' is used in exclamatory or questioning contexts. Once you memorize which ending each conjunctive adverb pairs with, the answer is decided the moment you see the ending of the sentence after the blank. For item 20 (matching), read the four options first, then compare only the corresponding parts of the passage. Content not in the passage, content that contradicts the passage, and content that covers only part of the passage are the typical wrong-answer patterns.

Blank (Conjunctive Adverb) + Matching

• 만약 — The ending '-다면/-라면' (condition) follows. It is the most common choice in everyday conditional sentences.
• 만일 — A formal counterpart with the same meaning as '만약.' It likewise pairs with '-다면' and appears more often in official writing or notices.
• 비록 — The ending '-지만/-더라도' (concession) follows. It concedes the preceding situation while showing that the outcome does not change.
• 아무리 — The ending '-아도/-어도/-더라도' (strong concession) follows. It emphasizes that the outcome does not change no matter what degree is reached.
• 설령/설사 — The ending '-더라도' (extreme hypothetical concession) follows. It expresses a stronger, more extreme hypothesis than '비록.'
• 물론 — Used to concede a fact first and then add a reversal or additional point afterward. It commonly comes with '-지만.'
• 과연 — Adds the meaning 'really/indeed' when paired with an exclamation or a question (-구나, -을까).
• 왜냐하면 — Pairs with '-기 때문이다' at the end of the sentence to explain the reason for what came before.
• 그러면 — Used to reemphasize the flow of '-(으)면' — that a result follows once the preceding condition is met.
• 오히려 — Used to emphasize a result that is the opposite of what was expected, or even more extreme. It often appears in contexts that reverse the preceding content.

• The ending that follows the blank (-다면·-지만·-더라도·-을까)
• Whether an option's sentence is the opposite of, or exaggerates, the sentence in the passage
• An option that makes up content not found in the passage

• First check the ending of the sentence right after the blank
• Choose the conjunctive adverb that pairs with that ending (만약–다면, 비록–지만/더라도)
• For item 20, read the four options first
• Find only the part of the passage that corresponds to each option and compare

• Knowing only the rough meaning of a conjunctive adverb without checking its pairing with the following ending
• In a matching item, mistaking an option that is only partly correct for one that is entirely correct

Item 19 is locked down mechanically once you memorize the four conjunctive adverb pairings. Item 20 is solved by comparison alone, so this set is a good place to raise your accuracy.