For decades, scholars interpreted the poet's repeated references to storms as expressions of despair. The discovery that the poems were written during a prolonged drought has made that reading seem [Blank 1], prompting a [Blank 2] interpretation in which the storms represent anticipated relief.
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Blank 1: C (implausible)Blank 2: F (hopeful)
The discovery changes how the references to storms should be understood. Because the poems were written during a drought, storms would have represented welcome rain rather than a source of despair. The earlier interpretation therefore seems implausible, and the new interpretation is hopeful.