Rather than convict him, the impartial judge … him.

Analyzing the question

The sentence is: "Rather than convict him, the impartial judge ........ him."

The task has two parts:

1. The word must fit the gap grammatically and logically.
2. It must be most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word. The underlined word is not shown here, but from the sentence it is almost certainly convict.

Concept

• Convict means to declare someone guilty of a crime.
• The opposite of convict is acquit, which means to declare someone not guilty.

The phrase "Rather than convict him" also signals a contrast, so the missing verb must mean the reverse of convicting.

Checking each option

• A. blamed: This is close to accusing, not the opposite of convicting. It is wrong.
• B. dismissed: This could fit loosely, since a judge can dismiss a case. But we dismiss a case, not a person, and it is not the direct antonym of convict. It is wrong.
• C. upheld: This means to support or confirm, such as upholding a conviction. It is wrong.
• D. acquitted: This is the direct opposite of convicted, and it fits the gap: "the impartial judge acquitted him." It is correct.

Note on the underlined word

The underlined word did not display in your question. If it was "convict," then D is clearly right.

Answer: D. acquitted

Tip: For legal vocabulary, remember these pairs: convict ↔ acquit, guilty ↔ innocent, prosecute ↔ defend. In "opposite and fills the gap" questions, test each option in the sentence first, then check the antonym relationship.