Darwin's thinking both drew upon and _______ the conventional ideas of his time. A. transcended

Darwin's thinking both drew upon and _______ the conventional ideas of his time. A. transcended B. preclude C. deviate D. handicap

The sentence describes how Darwin’s thinking related to conventional ideas.
"Both drew upon and _______" suggests a second action that goes beyond or surpasses those ideas.

✅ A. transcended — means “went beyond; exceeded” — fits logically with “drew upon” (used them as a basis) and adds a positive intellectual advance.

❌ B. preclude — means “prevent; make impossible” — doesn’t fit the parallel structure after “both drew upon and.”

❌ C. deviate — can mean “depart from,” but is generally used in a context of straying from a norm without the sense of surpassing. Not as strong a fit as “transcended.”

❌ D. handicap — means “impede; disadvantage” — illogical in this context.

Correct answer: A. transcended