Reading the ______ of the famous King, one would see that he had many things to hide

Analyze the question: The sentence says "Reading the __ of the famous King, one would see that he had many things to hide." We need a word for something that can be read and that tells about the king's life and personal story.

Explain the concept: This tests vocabulary in context.

• Memoirs: a person's written account of their own life and experiences, often personal and sometimes selective or revealing.
• Chronicles: a factual, chronological record of historical events, usually about a period, nation, or institution rather than one person's secrets.
• Life: it does not fit grammatically. We would say "reading the life of" only in an awkward way. The natural form is "life story" or "biography".
• Monument: a structure built to honour someone. You look at it, you do not read it.

Step-by-step solution:

1. "Reading" tells us the missing word must be something written, which rules out D (monument).
2. "Of the famous King" points to a record centred on one person. "Life" (C) is weak because it is not a text one reads in this idiom.
3. Between memoirs and chronicles, the phrase "he had many things to hide" suggests personal revelations that show what the king concealed. Memoirs are personal accounts, so they fit best. Chronicles are broader historical records, usually of events or reigns.

Answer: A. memoirs

Note: "Chronicles of the King" is also plausible in everyday English, since chronicles can record a king's reign. But "memoirs" fits better because the sentence is about a person's private life and what he hid.

Exam tip: In vocabulary-in-context questions, look for clue words such as "reading", which means a written text. Then match the focus: one person's personal story suggests memoirs or biography, while sweeping historical events suggest chronicles or annals.